Fifth year fic
by smee
Summary: Chapter 12 is up, but look for updates & edited version under Magenta the Muppet in the future. No more will come here. But review anyway...
1. Part 1

_Coqui has taken the time to go through and edit all this for the people who think I'm an obnoxious snot, including myself, and the stupid original AN would have discouraged them from reading my (I hope) somewhat decent fic!_

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# PART 1

Harry Potter sat cross-legged on his bed. He tried to concentrate on his History of Magic essay, but found his thoughts kept drifting back to one thing: Voldemort. The Dark Lord had risen, Harry had seen it happen. _[Ahem. This is NOT part of the story, inside the bracket thingys... I will NOT waste space with a long draggy description of the 1st 4 books. Read them yourself.] _It had been haunting his mind ever since he had returned to Privet Drive. Harry had been unable to focus on his homework or anything else in particular. It was now mid July, and Harry had heard from Ron a few times. Each letter was the same: "Don't let the Muggles get you down, Mum says Dumbledore will tell us when you can come." Which was of no help to Harry when he found himself being woken increasingly by sharp aches in his scar and vivid nightmares. He wished Sirius could have stayed with him for a little bit at Hogwarts, but he knew that Sirius had to do his part to try to thwart Voldemort's progress. Harry hadn't yet heard from him; he was beginning to get worried. He wondered where Hedwig was, it was nearly 4, he saw, glancing at the old clock on his chipped bedside table. He wasn't worried, but he missed her.He didn't feel like doing his essay, and he guessed that if he slept, that he would dream about the Triwizard Tournament (which he didn't feel like thinking about.)So he elected to go watch for Hedwig and look at the stars.Getting up from his bed, he hid his History of Magic texts under the loose floorboard, and went to the window.  
"The moon is nearly full," he mused, thinking that his old teacher Professor Lupin would be becoming a wolf very soon. Suddenly a movement on his left caught his eye. Hedwig was gliding over Privet Drive. But was it only Hedwig?There was another owl beside her, he saw as she came closer.

This owl was a light brown, and medium sized.His yellow eyes regarded Harry wisely as Harry untied the letter on his leg, which was addressed to him.  
"_Dear Harry,_

I hope this letter finds you well. I know this must be a particularly trying time for you, especially after what happened at the end of last year... I told you the last time I saw you that you would see me soon, and I intend to make good on that promise. Can you be in the back garden of the Muggle's house at 6pm on your birthday? Let me know if you can, I need to talk to you, as you know there are risks of sending too long a letter by owl...Hedwig will know where to find me. Write if you need me sooner.  
Take care.  
Sirius." The letter read.  
  


Excellent, thought Harry. He hastily scribbled a reply saying he would be there, and sent it with Hedwig, who nipped his finger affectionately before flying off with a goodbye hoot.  
Then, since his History of Magic essay about Gregory the Smarmy wasn't going anywhere, he elected to try to get some sleep, feeling quite content that he would get to see Sirius in a few days, and attempting to get the Triwizard Tournament out of his head.

***

July 31st couldn't come quickly enough, in Harry's opinion. His summer had been horrible so far. The Dursley's had practically starved him. They gave him a half-cup of water and some cheese and bread crumbs once a day, furious because Harry hadn't lost any weight while on Dudley's weight loss program the previous summer, while Dudley, still enormous, had lost 69 pounds. Harry fortunately had some food from Hermione, Hagrid, and the Weasley's, who had anticipated his dilemma. (Hermione had gotten her own barn owl, Thor, after Crookshanks had been run over by a car in June. Thor helped ease the pain she felt at the loss of her beloved cat.) 

But Harry still felt an emptiness inside him which he didn't think had anything to do with hunger. No, there was a gap inside him, deep inside. It was loneliness. Harry had felt this ache before, but never this intensely. He felt so...alone.At least 30 people wanted him dead; he still hadn't gotten over his last encounter with Voldemort. Harry had felt his loneliness ease only slightly when he read letters from Ron, or when he read Sirius' letter. Hogwarts kept him busy enough so that his loneliness wasn't as intense, and he had friends there...but now, alone in the Dursley's house, feeling very vulnerable, very...it was hard to explain, to understand. All he knew was that Sirius could help, that Sirius understood.  
Finally, after what seemed an eternity, it was 6pm July 28th. Harry began to walk out the back door, but-  
"Where do you think you're going, boy?" snarled Uncle Vernon's voice from behind him.  
" Er-outside?" said Harry feebly.  
"No, you're not," Uncle Vernon said nastily. 

"Ah-" Harry began, but didn't finish. He was interrupted by a loud "BANG" in which the back door rocketed off its hinges and hit Uncle Vernon square in the face. He held the door upright while rubbing his forehead. A tall figure strode in the door. Harry instantly knew it was Sirius.   
"Hello, Harry," he said pleasantly, smiling at him from under his hood. Then he turned to Uncle Vernon and continued in a business-like tone, "What were you saying, Mr. Dursley?"   
"Er-er-ah-er," stammered Uncle Vernon incoherently, quaking in half fear, half fury at this black-robed intruder who had broken down his back door.  
"That's what I thought," growled Sirius in a tone reminiscent of Mad-Eye-Moody. "Now, unless you have any objections, Harry comes outside with me."  
Uncle Vernon looked dumbfounded.   
"And no calling the police. I'll know if you do." said Sirius. He then strolled out the door and beckoned Harry to follow him. After they were both outside, Sirius raised his wand and made the door zoom out of Uncle Vernon's arms and back onto its hinges.  
"How're you doing?" inquired Harry.  
"Bit stressed. Otherwise fine. Not important. You?" replied Sirius briskly.He couldn't help noticing the incredibly dark bags under Harry's alert eyes.  
"You answer that one, Sirius," said Harry quietly, looking down at the grass.

"Lonely, unfocused, worried, uncomfortable...What else would you be?"  
"And you hit the nail right on the head!" exclaimed Harry. 

A slight grin crossed Sirius' face, which had a good-natured expression and was clean-shaven. Sirius looked a different man than Harry had first seen 2 years before. Comparing the Sirius that stood before him to the Sirius on the Muggle "Wanted" posters in his mind's eye, Harry could scarcely tell that they were the same person.  
"Ok, Harry, I have about half an hour to chat with you before I Dissapparate back to Remus' place. We'll be receiving Arabella and Fletcher there when I get there...Until then, I'm just going to talk to you, because I figure you need to talk to someone after what happened last year. And Dumbledore not letting you go with Ron...Look Harry, Dumbledore's a very reasonable man. He hasn't been wrong yet...I might not agree with him sometimes but he wouldn't have sent you back here if he didn't think it was the best place for you. Got it?"  
Harry nodded. "You've got a wand," he observed.  
"Oh, yeah," said Sirius, fiddling with his wand. "Dumbledore pulled some strings with Ollivander...He said after I'd alerted everyone to arm myself...Remus turned me invisible...well, long story. Basically I came to tell you we're doing everything in our power to stop him, OK?" Seeing the look on Harry's face, Sirius continued, "Diggory's death and Voldemort's reincarnation are NOT your fault Harry.The fact that you stopped me from killing _[A/N Pocahontas thingy!!! *****snigger* Private joke, hehehe…]_ that 'BEEP CENSORED' Pettigrew does NOT make you responsible for Voldemort's reincarnation, nor does the fact that your blood was used. You understand?"  
Harry nodded again.

Sirius continued, "Though if it hadn't been for my stupidity with the Fidelius, Peter wouldn't have...and Lily and James wouldn't be...but then YOU wouldn't have...Oh Harry, I'm sorry!"  
"Sirius, its OKAY," said Harry, alarmed, because Sirius looked as if he was on the verge of a nervous breakdown."That wasn't your fault either."  
"I know," said Sirius heavily. "But then, you would still...and then none of...but then..."  
"Sirius, STOP IT," said Harry firmly. "You're not getting anywhere, you're just hurting yourself, and what's done is done! You can't change the past!"  
"Sorry Harry," said Sirius again, pulling himself together. "Well, as I was saying, don't worry about Voldemort too much, we're doing everything we can...though if I'm not mistaken, Dumbledore will want to talk to you when you get back to school. I think I might be able to Apparate into the house next time, but I'm not sure...Dumbledore's got all sorts of wards and enchantments on this place…If I can, I'll knock your door, ok? I'll try to talk to you again before September first; I'm not that far away from here, alright? And if you should want to talk to me about anything, just send Hedwig, she'll know where I am, and she should only take about half an hour to get there...So you need me, any reason, send Hedwig, 45 minutes after she leaves, come out here, I'll Apparate about then...Unless I manage to get into the house with Apparition, of course…Can't say too much in owls, its sort of risky...I'll have to tell you some stuff later on so that when you get back to school...But that'll come later. It'll all work out, don't worry. Is there anything else I'm forgetting? Oh, that's right. Any dreams where your scar hurts write me and say 'need to talk now, 2' and that'll be a code so that no one'll know if they intercept it...Ok, well I'd better get going, Fletcher will be there by now, that's if that dung-brains isn't late as usual... I guess that's it, see you, I'll write soon." Sirius gave Harry a swift hug then Dissapparated.  
Harry walked slowly back inside, avoiding the living room, where his aunt and uncle were discussing armed intruders in hushed voices. He trudged up the stairs to his bedroom, plopped down on his bed, and opened a book for Gregory the Smarmy research once again._(My apologies, some of this part is unbelievably OOC, but I changed some stuff around here, but I didn't want to make the changes too major, because then I'd probably end up with my story on a completely different path.Yes, I could right it eventually, but I'm a little lazy :o)_

***

Harry was still trying to finish the History of Magic around midnight, six hours later. He was distracted from his thoughts of Gregory the Smarmy and Cho Chang when an owl flew into his room. Perhaps a better description would be "collapsed while flapping." He saw at once that it was Errol, the feeble, elderly Weasley family owl. Harry wondered why Ron would have sent something to him via Errol rather than with Pigwidgeon, the minute owl he had been given by Sirius. Harry picked Errol up off the floor, where he lay resting, put him inside Hedwig's cage (Hedwig was off hunting) and gently removed the letter from his leg. He noticed that it was not addressed in Ron's untidy scrawl, but in Mrs. Weasley's neat hand. He tore it open, and read it.  
_Dear Harry,  
Happy birthday! I am writing to let you know about some bad news. This morning, when Ron didn't come downstairs for breakfast, I went upstairs to check that everything was all right. I found him dead. I'm very sorry to break the news to you like this, but both Arthur and I felt you ought to know. We know you will feel the same loss that we do.  
Love,  
Molly Weasley._  
_[Not part of the letter. I know this is OOC as well, and a bit blunt, but I'm intending to make the Weasleys, including Mr. and Mrs., blame Harry for Ron's death.A pardon may be in order later in the story, but for now, let's just leave it, and don't flame me for that little bit, okay?] _

Harry felt numb with shock. Ron, dead? Ronald Weasley, his best friend for four years, dead. The idea slowly washed over him. He remembered the fight that he and Ron had had the previous year, how miserable he'd been when they weren't speaking, and dismay took the place of the shock. This would be a fight with Ron, permanently. Harry's emotions: sadness, loss, dismay, anger at whatever had made Ron die...all combined to make him feel very lost indeed. He realized that he had never had to deal with anything like this; he needed someone to help him, to talk with him, someone who knew what losing someone felt like. He realized slowly that Sirius fulfilled all of these requirements. The fact that he was nearby was an added plus. He began to write a letter, explaining to Sirius what he had just learned, and had finished, when he suddenly realized that he couldn't send it until Hedwig got back from where ever she was. He tried to concentrate on the essay again, but then a brown something soared in through the open window.He recognized it as the owl  
_Dear Harry,  
Happy birthday, once again.We need to talk, NOW._  
Harry's immediate reaction was that his godfather possessed psychic powers, powers that Prof. Trelawney didn't have.Then, musing about the insectiod similarities between Prof. Trelawney and Rita Skeeter, he tiptoed downstairs to meet Sirius.

***

Sirius was sitting with his back against a tree.Harry approached him silently and sat beside him, shivering, even though the night wasn't cold. 

"Good evening," Sirius said. 

"Sirius, is this a bad time?" asked Harry. "If you're busy I'd more than understand..." he added quickly, trying to shorten his sentences so that the tears that were threatening to fall didn't spill out in front of Sirius.  
"No" replied Sirius."This is a good a time as any.Besides, you need to talk about Ron's death to someone.It might as well be me.I have to make up for 13 years of absence."

"How did he die?" whispered Harry.  
Sirius sighed."He was killed.By Voldemort, or one of his Death Eaters."  
"But what does he have against Ron?"  
"He was your friend Harry. Voldemort wants to hurt you."  
"So why doesn't he just kill me, and get it over with?"  
"Because he thinks it would be more fun to play with you before killing you. He was in immense pain after he tried to kill you all those years ago. Dumbledore's theory is that he wants you to feel that pain and then some before he kills you. And Dumbledore thinks that if he gets his hands on you he will drag out your death," Sirius explained. "And even if he does do that, he may purposely release you before he kills you so that you have to live with the memory of the pain he's inflicted upon you. He would expose you to Dementors, if given the chance, do the Cruciatus Curse repeatedly, torture you..." Sirius' voice trailed off. "All sorts of unpleasant things. So you've got to be careful. I can't let that happen."

"So it's all my fault," said Harry, shaking uncontrollably.

"No, it's not.Not at all."Sirius held Harry to him.Harry was still shivering, but he wasn't crying.

"It's okay to cry in front of me, you know," said Sirius, running his hand up and down Harry's back, trying to calm him down."Crying doesn't make you weak, Harry.It's all right if you don't want to cry in front of other people, but I won't think any less of you."

Harry felt water coursing down his face, landing on his clothes and Sirius'.He let the tears flow freely for a few moments before speaking again.

"It is my fault, though," he said softly.

"It's not," whispered Sirius."Don't blame yourself!"

"Yes, it is!Voldemort wouldn't have risen if it wasn't for me, and he wouldn't have killed Ron if he wasn't my best friend!"Harry said miserably, his voice muffled by Sirius' robes.

Sirius tightened his grip on Harry, pulling him closer.Harry didn't mind Sirius' embrace, quite the contrary, he found it rather comforting, but he found it difficult to breathe.

"Sirius, d'you think you could-"

"Oh, right, sorry," Sirius said, releasing him."Damn!I've been here half an hour already?Harry, I'm really sorry, I have to go…Remus says he's found something…Can you manage?"

Harry nodded.

"I don't want to leave you, it's bad enough that I couldn't stay with you after the Triwizard Tournament, but…"

"It's okay," Harry said."You have to do what you can.I understand completely."

"That's good.Look, I'll try to come back tomorrow night, all right?"

"Yeah."Harry felt Sirius' arms envelope him once more.He closed his eyes tightly, knowing that if he cried, Sirius wouldn't leave.Harry didn't really want Sirius to leave, but he knew that Sirius had to, and he didn't want to make it more difficult for him than it already was.He relished the safe feeling that Sirius' embrace gave him for a few moments longer before Sirius let go. 

"Bye," said Sirius.Then he was gone.

_DONE!! Yippeee!!! As always, none of the characters are mine, they are the intellectual (or physical, or plastic, or all 3) property of Joanne Kathleen Rowling, Bloomsbury, Scholastic, and Warner Brothers.Likenesses are neither claimed nor implied, the author is making no money off this $hi+, and any references to real people, dead or alive, is purely coincidental.Please be aware that if you purchased this book without a cover that it has been reported as 'unsold and destroyed' and neither the author nor the publisher has received payment for this "stripped" book.(The last sentence is actually taken from the publishing info page of just about any paperback in the United States…run…where is our culture going…what cover…what payment??? Cough.)Monetary donations to the Coqui Foundation for Mentally Lethargic Children, especially Coqui, who is failing Honors Math due to her annoying tendency to write fanfic in the back!_

_Don't forget to review!!!_

_Luv ya all, so luv me back and REVIEW!!! Review much, review often, review LOOONG!!!!_

_~_^ Coqui the Mighty Frog_

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	2. Part 2

Yay! Next part.Free time!Goody.First off, I'd like to thank the people that actually took the time to fill in the box for reviews.You rock.So, thanks to: (the following is a list of the thoughtful peeps who reviewed me and my response to their reviews)

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_Razor Wind, Queen of the Serpentana Islands_

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_Neva:He's dead, get over it.I was sick of his carping about how poor he is.And I wanted to torture Harry.Well, actually, Voldemort wanted to, it's just that he possessed me.Not my fault.So he killed Ron through me.(Yay! Sorry.)_

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_Malena:Privately, I agree.But, the ONE thing I learned from my math teacher, the one useful phrase (well, Michael differs, he thinks that "Anita, SHUT UP" which was his most frequent phrase, is useful.Oh, that's me! Anita!)Oh, yeah.The one thing I learned was: Never point out your mistakes, hopefully others won't notice them.Yes, I seriously considered keeping Ron alive, but see my reasons above._

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_Katy D.:Yes, Sirius is sweet.A bit too mushy for my tastes, but he serves his purpose.I'll get better._

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_Sara:Don't worry, Harry gets a bit depressed, but he doesn't go mad.(Yet…)_

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_Radamof:Profuse thanks!! You rock! You have me on favorites!! Yay!_

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_Hermione Gulliver:I had my reasons…_

_Rufus:LOOK EVERYONE! ONE OF MY FAVORITE AUTHORS HAS REVIEWED ME!!! YAY!!! Oh, and I really like "And As the Dawn Begins" currently, it is my favorite fic._

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_George Weasley's REAL girlfriend:Thanks.I'll give you more._

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_Fairysal:H/H?NO WAY!(You don't have to kiss my @$$, no I'm not sexy, lol, I'm going to post more anyway! R/H forever!_

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_Someone2: Thanks._

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_Quillow: I don't mind.Your decision about the beta reading was a just one. That makes me admire you more!_

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_Muggle genius:See comments under Malena._

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_Palmer: Thanks for reviewing, but you are SO not my best friend.Well, maybe my only friend on ff.n that I KNOW, but that's ok._

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_Gryffindor:No!!! Sirius would go to Azkaban for that, and who wants that?And NO WAY will Harry/Cho work!_

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_Some things I forgot to write in first installments:_

  * _Harry doesn't want to sleep because he dreams about the Triwizard Tournament and has some dreams with scar hurting that right now I don't know what they were, and he doesn't remember them, all he knows is that most of the time when he doesn't dream about Cedric, his scar hurts, but he doesn't really get a clear picture._
  * _Sirius knows that Harry isn't sleeping because he notices bags under his eyes.(This is pointed out in the conversation he has with Lupin!Yay!Lupin is back!! He's so sweet!)_
  * _One more thing!I'm changing it, here, now, so you can all bear witness!The Dark Mark was ABOVE Ron's bed, but Ron's body was not there.And there was a note saying he was dead, and his left arm was there.Okay?Kinda gross, but I have to make it fit with the next thing about the Death Eaters!_

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_About this installment:There is a REALLY semi-gross part, but the idea occurred to me:Just WHY do they call them Death Eaters?(Evil laugh).Ok, so some cannibalism.Disgusting, really.Sorry about that.So, I guess PG-13.And I'm deciding not to write parts in the fics.In the title I'll just write Post #2 and if that doesn't fit I'll put it in the summary, because I switch perspectives much to fast.(Orignally, I was going to have ONLY Harry's perspective, but then I wanted to portray more emotion, so…)_

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_Sorry I took so long!Remember to BE A RESPONSIBLE READER AND REVIEW!!!! (And I don't own any of the characters.I was going to have a Defense Teacher, but I thought that was going to be too complicated, so I'm either going to have Sirius or Remus…Vote in your review!_

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_Dammit, Coqui, if you go much longer, this A/N is going to be longer than the fic…_

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With a loud "_pop!_" Sirius Black Apparated into Remus Lupin's study.

Remus looked up."So, how was he?"

Sirius shrugged and threw himself into a chair next to Remus."Okay, I guess.He cried a bit," he replied dully.

"He cried?" said Remus, alarmed."In front of you?"

"Yeah, is that bad?"

"I've never seen him cry…Not even after the Dementor incidents, and I know those were hard for him, too…" mused Lupin. "D'you know, that's surprising.Maybe it means that he trusts you and he's ready to let you in on his life…"

"But that's good!" exclaimed Sirius.

"Yes, it means he'll let you help him.You've arranged to go back tomorrow, of course?"

"Of course."

"Excellent.Seeing as it's nearly 3 am, I suggest you get some sleep."

"But-I only left Harry because you said to be back here by three!I thought it was important!"

"It is.You need sleep so that you can continue your visits with Harry without collapsing of exhaustion.What would he do then?And I won't have you keeping Harry up all night."

"Hey, I'm his godfather, not you!" said Sirius in mock frustration."And he hasn't been getting any sleep, I can tell you that.He has shadows under his eyes.Really dark ones.To tell you the truth, he's starting to look a bit like you, Moony…"

Remus sighed."His scars been troubling him, most likely.Did you ask him about that?"

"No, I can't say it crossed my mind."

"That's not healthy, though.Talk to him about that, too."

"But what if he's afraid to sleep?"

"Lock the door, put a Silencing Spell on the room, and stay with him until he does go to sleep," suggested Lupin.

"No!" Sirius said, appalled."He's 15, not 5.That would offend him!"

"Yes, but he needs to sleep!"

"He'd fake it so I'd leave, then he wouldn't sleep anyway!"

"So tell him to sleep during the day! Most Dark activity is at night, so he wouldn't have as many nightmares!"

"No!" said Sirius firmly."I'm not ordering him around!"

"Oh yes you are!I'd do it myself, but it's your job.James gave you the right to give Harry instructions, and you're supposed to use it to promote his well-being!"

Sirius groaned."Fine, you win.I'll talk to him."

"Good.Now go to sleep.I can focus better on translating this when you're not breathing down my back."

"You've been working for 20 hours straight!" said Sirius exasperated."Talk about double standards!If anyone needs sleep, it's you!"

"All right, then.I'll sleep if you do,"Remus said without protest."'Night then."

"'Night," said Sirius.He retired to the small but comfortable bedroom Remus had set up for him,(Remus slept on a cot in his study) his worries about Harry eased slightly.

Harry had nodded reluctantly off to sleep when he woke up sweating, shaking, and breathing hard.Images of Cedric, Wormtail, and Voldemort flooded his head.

"Stop it, stop it, stop it," thought Harry furiously."Not your fault.Stop."He took deep breaths to calm his racing heart.

"And this, Potter, is why you don't want to sleep," said Harry out loud."So, guess it's back to Gregory the Smarmy…"

Harry worked on his essay a few minutes, before succumbing to the powerful tug of sleep…

"Excellent," said the cloaked figure on the throne, throwing a clean bone into the dish next to him."So now, Potter is suffering.A rib, Malfoy," he said, addressing another man next to him, who was holding a silver platter.Malfoy pressed a rib into his hand."Now, what did your son say about Potter's other acquaintances?" 

"He said that Weasley was Potter's closest friend.He added that Hermione Granger is another close confidant, and that Rubeus Hagrid is his favorite teacher."

"Hmm.I want to see this boy.He knows Potter better than any of us.Bring him to me."

"At once, my Lord," said Malfoy greasily.

"Give me the platter," ordered Voldemort."Apparition wards shall be removed from my fortress."

Malfoy bowed and handed him the plate with the remainders of the body on it with a flourish.He exited.

Voldemort grinned as Malfoy left.He picked a human head from the platter.It had red hair.He looked it in its eyes."Well, Weasley, you have served your purpose.Your death will undoubtedly cause our dear Potter intense inner turmoil.Perhaps I shall mount you on a pole to show to him when I have made him a guest in this lovely fortress of mine.There is a nice dank cell awaiting him, and my wand is always prepared to emit a Cruciatus Curse or two…And the Dementors will be only to pleased to see him again.Yes, all interesting ideas.But first, the death of his closest friends shall allow me to test his limits.No, I shan't kill him yet…But he will be a most entertaining prisoner…Which reminds me.Thank you for the lovely meal, Weasley.Your ribs are a delicacy.Allow me to sample a thigh…"He reached onto the platter."Mmmm."

So, did you like it?I'm sorry.I know it was gross.But…it suited Voldemort! You KNOW it did.Please don't disown me as a sicko.Please review, please don't flame that last choice, it's my fic, I know it's disturbing, I'll try to make the next parts better, I didn't intend for it to go like that!I posted the first part on a webpage I made over the summer, and it just took some dark twists.But it's original!Please review!

_Coqui the Mighty Frog_

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	3. Part 3

_This part dedicated to the memory of my stuffed teddy Goon's nose, which was tragically shredded by the evil Shitzu…Die…::burns an effigy, Calvin and Hobbes, HAHAHAA!!!::_

**_PART 3: 5th year fic_**

Harry sat up, his scar burning.Ron…

Fighting the overwhelming urge to be sick, he took a few deep breaths, his stomach turning with each.

Finally, he couldn't take it anymore.He got out of bed, and eased open the door, walked to the bathroom, lifted the toilet's lid, and bent down over it…

[A/N:Didn't want to make it too nasty. Use your imagination.]

He knelt there for about 5 minutes, as he choked up all the food his system hadn't digested yet.Then he stood up, his knees nearly giving way beneath him.He shakily made his way back to his bedroom, where he collapsed on the bed.

His lack of sleep was catching up to him.He couldn't stay awake another minute, no matter how much he didn't want to sleep.His eyes shut unwillingly, and almost instantly, he was transported back to the dimly lit room.

The man with the serpentine eyes was still on his thrown, but Draco Malfoy was prostrating himself before him.

"Very well, young Draco," hissed Voldemort. "Stand."

Draco stood.

"Which shall we kill first?" Voldemort questioned.

"I would think Rubeus Hagrid," said Draco timidly, his usual self-possessed air gone.

"Why?" It wasn't a question.The way Voldemort said it; it was more of a demand.

"Well, he'll probably confide more in Granger now that Weasley is out of the way.And if you kill Hagrid, it will bring them closer still.And the closer they are…" Draco trailed off.

"The more painful the separation.You have the right mindset, Draco.Keep it that way.You have earned your reward."Voldemort beckoned him to come closer.Draco stepped forward.Voldemort stood up and seized Draco's left arm.Rolling up Draco's sleeve, he produced his wand and tapped Draco's forearm.

The pain was unbearable.Draco looked down.A black skull was rising on his forearm…a black skull with a snake peeking out of its mouth…The Dark Mark.His arm was on fire.No, his whole body.Pain…culminating in his head, his forehead…

Harry sat up again, his scar aching nearly beyond endurance.Malfoy, a Death Eater.Voldemort, plotting to kill the people he cared about.Hermione…Hagrid.More pain in his scar.He felt as though his head was splitting in two. He lay back down, hardly able to think straight.Two visions in one night.He had better get used to them.They would more than likely come more frequently than ever."More visions, less sleep," thought Harry.

Habitually he reached for the Gregory the Smarmy paper and switched on the bedside lamp, the pain in his scar subsiding a bit.Looking at the parchment, he realized with a start that the essay was completed."Well, you're absentminded, Potter.Fancy that.Not knowing when your homework's finished…" 

He grinned, imagining what Hermione would say.Then unpleasant thoughts drifted unbidden into his head.The Death Eaters were going to kill her too.Would she end up eaten like Ron?Harry's stomach protested loudly at the thought.He felt nauseous.He lay back down again slowly.He'd make Draco think that they weren't friends. Then they wouldn't kill her.Perhaps that would work.Perhaps…Harry slipped off again as sleep's relentless grasp pulled him deep into its current, and this time, at least, his dreams weren't troubled ones of Death Eaters.

Now it was Sirius' turn to awaken with at start.He had had a terrible dream.Harry was near him, alone, looking traumatized.Every time Sirius tried to reach him, he couldn't.It was as if there were invisible barriers around Harry.And he could not penetrate them.High laughter.Green light.

He awoke, shaking. "Damn," he chided himself. "If you're so worried, go see him!"Checking his watch, he saw it was 5am."Maybe I'd better clear it with Remus first…" He got up and went to the study."Lumos," he said, holding out his wand.

Remus sat up and blinked."What-who-oh.Sirius.What is it?" he said groggily.

"I'm worried about Harry."

"Ah.Aren't we all?Go to sleep."

"I was, I had a nightmare about him.I want to see him."

"You'll see him tonight.Don't go too much, he'll get tired of you and end up thinking you're an overprotective, overbearing monster," said Remus sagely.

"No!I need to know he's all right!"

"Sirius!Be reasonable!You just saw him a few hours ago!He's alive, he can cope!"

"Yes, but I have to see for myself!" exclaimed Sirius.

Remus sighed."My advice is to trust him to be able to deal with it for a few more hours, all right?Harry's a very capable young man, he's been through a lot, he'll be through more, and no doubt need guidance, but at least give him some time to himself to get himself together!"

"I need to see him!"

"Then go!But if he tells you to shove off, don't come crying to me!Apparently, I can't stop you!"

"Goodbye."

"Goodbye." Remus pulled the covers over his head and Sirius Dissapparated.

Sirius felt a rush of air and found himself in the Dursley's backyard a few moments later.He tried the handle of the back door, but found it locked."Alohomora," he said, tapping it.He eased it open, and stole upstairs quietly.He noticed light coming from under a door.Assuming it was Harry's door, he opened it softly.He peeked inside, and saw Harry lying on his back on the bed, his eyes shut, a piece of parchment on his chest rising and falling as he breathed.Sirius smiled and stepped inside, closing the door behind him.

As he did so, Harry's eyes flew open and his every muscle tensed, but when he saw who it was, he relaxed."I thought you weren't coming back until tonight?"

"I was worried," said Sirius simply.

"Oh."

"How're you coping?"

"Okay, I guess," Harry said vaguely.

"Sleep all right?"

"No better than usual."

"You haven't been sleeping, have you," Sirius stated.

Harry sat up and moved over on the bed to make room for Sirius, who sat down."No, not really," he replied.

"Why not?"

"I don't particularly care to relive the events of the Triwizard Tournament."

"Any other reasons?"

Harry sighed."Two visions since you left."

"When your scar hurt?"Upon seeing Harry nod, he continued, "Tell me about them."

"He was eating-" Harry paused and swallowed."He was eating Ron.Am I right in assuming they didn't find the body?"His stomach turned unpleasantly, tears pricking at the back of his eyes.

Sirius shook his head."Partially.I didn't want to tell you…"

"Tell me what?"Harry was beginning to realize how irritating it was to be told half the truth.

"They only found part of his body.An arm or something.Dumbledore wasn't very specific.But they knew he was dead because the Dark Mark was above the bed.And the second one?"

"Draco was giving Voldemort suggestions on who to kill first.Hagrid or Hermione."

"I see.Well.This does thicken the plot, doesn't it?"

"Why, Sirius," begged Harry urgently."Why does he want to kill everyone I care about?"

"Harry, he just wants to get back at you.He was in pain when he couldn't kill you…"

"So why doesn't he kill me now?" 

"He wants to make you suffer.I told you already."

"But why did he want to kill me in the first place?"

Sirius sighed."I honestly can't tell you that.Even if I knew, I don't think I could.Dumbledore knows, and your parents knew.They wouldn't even tell me.If I'm not mistaken, that's what Remus is looking up with all those runes and ancient languages and stuff.Did you know he's fluent in Ancient Samarian?" 

"No.Sirius, if he had the chance, would he kill me?"

"I'm not sure," replied Sirius."All I know is I want you alive and that I seriously hope this'll all blow over soon."

"I don't think it'll be over for a while yet," said Harry forlornly.

"You're probably right, but it'll be all right eventually."

Harry was suddenly aware of a tear coursing down his face.He wiped it away."Thank you, Sirius," he said hoarsely.

Sirius grasped Harry's shoulder and looked him in the eye."No problem.I'm here if you need me, don't ever forget that." 

Harry nodded."Thanks."Sirius hugged Harry again.

Sirius felt tears in his eyes now.He knew Harry wasn't as all right as he said.He felt immense admiration for Harry's composure and ability to control his emotions.He was sure now that while Harry still wanted his guidance, that he could handle just about anything on his own.His reluctance to leave Harry was less crippling now.The guilt he had felt was gone.Harry could be without him.Not permanently, but yes, he could survive for intervals without Sirius' intervention.This realization hit Sirius smack in the face.He saw in a flash how overprotective he had been becoming.He had to learn to let go.He couldn't protect or be with Harry every second of every minute.Sirius began to cry."I'm sorry Harry," he said through torrents of tears.

Harry was startled for a moment, then hugged Sirius more tightly."Er, whatever it is, it's okay," he said, in a desperate attempt to comfort his godfather.

"No, really, I've been being to overprotective, and I'm going to try not to be."

"Oh, please don't…"

"Don't what?"

"Leave me!"

"I'm not going to leave you Harry.It's just that I'm trying to plunge into your life, and I'm realizing that I can't do that," said Sirius in a rush.

"That's all right, I really appreciate it," Harry said quietly.

"You do?"

"Yes.No one's ever cared about me before.I think it's a nice change."

"But I don't want to intrude-"

"I'll never think of you as an intruder."

"But you need some space-"

"Which you give me plenty of.I think you're great."

"Really?"

"Really."

Sirius grinned, and after a moment, so did Harry."Well, it's almost 6.I'd better get going.Do you still want me to come back tonight?"

"Whenever you can."

"I'm not so sure you want that.I'd be here all the time."

"Restrain yourself, then," suggested Harry.

"All right.See you tonight, then."Sirius squeezed his hand and left the room very quietly."Can't do Apparition inside.Goodbye."

"Goodbye," Harry said as Sirius closed the door.He yawned and stretched, then lay back down."_Maybe I'll have less nightmares during the day_," he thought, and closed his eyes.

_HA! Betcha thought I'd never be done!Bwohaha!Hoped you like it.Meanwhile…the author's note! _

_Palmer:Go away.Buzz off.STOP FLAMING ME.YOU ARE NOT A HARRY POTTER DEVOTEE, YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND THE BEAUTY OF GREAT LITERATURE, YOU AND YOUR STUPID BOOK OF KAHN.Hmph.4 followers.I have one…well, maybe 2 or three.George Weasley's REAL Girlfriend reads me, Metal Mouth (thank you SO much for your reviews and for convincing me to repost Hard Days Night, thanks for emailing me and being one of my best buddies on ff.n, thanks for all your help, I hope to read something of yours soon, and great job sticking it out on Part 2.__De volgenfanger ben ich ja…doo doo doo doo doo…and thanks for allowing me to sing the Magic Flute to you through AIM.You rock! Evil Shitzu…) Madd Spammer, thank you too for being a cool person to IM, you rock too, I'll send you this before I post, Rufus, your fic RULES, I'll be sending you this too, thanks for offering to beta me, you're cool, PLEASE GET AIM because it is da bomb (US slang for "tight" or "cool" or "nifty" or "neat" or "absolutely necessary because otherwise we have to rely on email." Well, maybe not that one.In other words, AIM is cool.So get it, and if you have it, I need your screen name.Disclaimer: I don't own any characters, nothing, zippo, it all belongs to JKR/Warner Bros.Use of characters is not authorized, and the scenarios are figments of my imagination.Sorry about the grossness and morbidness in Part 2._

_PEZ, if you are reading this, thanks for coming to read my fic through my reviews of yours, which I happened to like very much.And if Adelina reads this, thanks to you too, I like yours.Thanks to anyone who took the time to read this._

_In the next installment:FIND OUT WHAT LUPIN WAS TRANSLATING (actually, it's important to the fic, but CAN I MAKE IT RHYME…hmmm…this might take a while.Author Alert would be good, if you could.) IN PART 2, if you remember.I know PEZ does.And if you don't remember the brief reference, go back to the very gross part 2 and find it.(And while you're at it, review if you haven't already.Heck, review again if you have already.Xing fills up my inbox.No one ever emails me but a computer program ::sniff, sniff: ) And don't forget to review this!I got 8 on the last part, c'mon, make it 10!!! Please?(Come back and review again if you read and there's not 10 people, because otherwise I won't write.Or put me on Author Alert and I'll count it as 5 reviews…what can I say, this is my life…^_~) Now, to the History assignment…~_~ zzz…boring…love ya! Please review!!!_


	4. Part 4

Remus stood up.It was about 5:30 in the morning.His study was dimly lit by a few candles, and his wand.He had finished the book, and Dumbledore's reasoning made perfect sense to him.It all fit.

He walked to the window, opened it, leaned out, and whistled for his owl, which came promptly.Scribbling a quick note, he tied it to the owl's leg.'Sherbet drop: Yes, I should think.I'll talk to him September the first.Moony.'

The brown owl flew off.Remus sharp eyes watched as it flew off in the darkness.He stroked his chin reflectively, fingering the beard that was beginning to grow there as a result of his neglecting to shave.He hadn't showered in nearly a week; Dumbledore's assignment was too vital to their cause.He and Dumbledore had been in close correspondence throughout the summer.Dumbledore had asked Remus to take up teaching Defense Against the Dark Arts again, and he had agreed.Sirius would share his quarters at Hogwarts, and be allowed to see Harry, providing that he not assume his true form unless he was in Dumbledore's office or where Remus was staying.Sirius would go to Hogwarts before he would, because it would look suspicious if a dog rode the Hogwarts Express.

He stretched as he went to take a shower.Emerging from the bathroom wearing clean robes and feeling thoroughly refreshed, he walked to the kitchen to get something to eat.

Sirius was there, staring into space.

"Hello," said Remus.

Sirius looked up."Hello," he replied.

"How was Harry?" Remus asked cautiously.

"Fine…Well, I think he was fine…On the outside he seemed well enough."

"That's good."_He doesn't know the half of it, _thought Lupin miserably.

"Yeah, I suppose.You've come out of your study," Sirius observed.

"I finished the work."

"Find anything interesting?"

"Not really," he lied._I want to tell him, but I can't.I have to wait until it's affirmative.No use in getting him worked up or more worried than he already is._

"Oh.I wish Harry were here with us," Sirius said in a far-off tone, different than his normal one.

"So do I," admitted Remus._For many more reasons than you have, my friend.I have to get to him first, or all is lost.But I have to wait until September the first._

"But I'll get to see him in September, or sooner, if time allows," Sirius' voice interrupted Remus' thoughts.

_If that's soon enough…Why does he have to shoulder such a big burden?_

A FEW WEEKS LATER…

"Okay, just remember to say 'Diagon Alley' clearly," ordered Sirius.He had connected the Dursley's fireplace to the Floo Network, and had them stunned in the kitchen, so that they wouldn't make a fuss as he got Harry to Diagon Alley.(He would lift the spell and wipe their memories later.)

Harry had given Sirius his Gringotts key, and Remus had bought him school supplies from the many shops.Now he was going to meet the Grangers in Diagon Alley, and they would take him to King's Cross Station to catch the Hogwarts Express.

"I've got it!" said Sirius gleefully, prodding the fire with his wand.He hugged Harry, then threw some Floo Powder into the fireplace."See you," he said.

Harry stepped into the fire and said "Diagon Alley!" loudly.He felt himself being turned around and began to get very dizzy, but just as he was about to throw up his breakfast, his feet touched solid ground.

He brushed off his clothes and looked around the Leaky Cauldron for Hermione.

She found him.The girl ran towards him and threw both her arms around his waist, sobbing.

Harry felt very strange indeed.Hermione was hugging him; she had broken down in a PUB?People were looking at them.He patted her head awkwardly."Er, it's okay," he said, trying to comfort her.

"Oh god, Harry, I was so worried!With Ron dead, I thought…Well, it's not important what I thought.You're alive!You're all right!Wait…Are you all right?"

"Yeah, absolutely.You seem to be taking this worse than me."

"I liked him and I never told him!" she cried.

_There're lots of things we don't tell people, _thought Harry, but he didn't say it out loud.Instead he let her hug him and played the part of Sirius, running his hand up her back silently._Oops.Bra strap._He let his hand rest soothingly on the part of her back above the strap.

Finally she stopped."Look at the time!We'd better get to King's Cross!My parents are waiting outside in their car."She pulled him out through the door, as people stared after them.

The ride to the station was uneventful, despite her parent's stabs at conversation.

"So, Harry, how was your summer?" Mrs. Granger had asked.

"Fine," Harry had replied.

"Are your relatives well?"

"Yes, thank you for asking."His answers were short but polite.He didn't care much for talking to other people about his personal experiences.He had been used to telling Ron everything…And he told Sirius some things, but he felt that he would become much closer to Hermione this year.

"Harry, guess what!I'm a Prefect!" said Hermione excitedly, apparently trying to get Harry out of the stupor he had sank into.

"That's great!" His voice was ecstatic, but his smile didn't carry to his eyes.

"Isn't it?I have a spiffy badge and we have our own compartment!"

_Great, now she's leaving me for prefect-dom.What's the betting Malfoy's one too?_"Wow!" he exclaimed enthusiastically."So what exactly do you have to do?" he asked, feigning interest so as not to hurt her feelings.

"Oh, not much.Tell people off and keep my grades up."

"Sounds like you do that anyway…"

"Yep!" she replied brightly.

Just then, the car pulled into the station.Harry and Hermione loaded their trunks onto carts.Hermione and her parents bade each other farewell, then she and Harry ran into the barrier separating platforms nine and ten.

"Well, see you at Hogwarts," she said as they got on the train and she went to sit with the prefects.

"See you," agreed Harry.He dragged his trunk down the aisle, until he found an empty compartment.He shoved it into the overhead compartment (not so difficult this year because he was taller) and sat down inside.He didn't really feel like talking to anyone, so he stared out the window, musing about Cedric, Ron, and Hermione.

"Damn it!" said a very familiar voice outside."Not one empty compartment!Well, let's try again, shall we?" 

The door to Harry's compartment was opened and Harry found himself face to face with Remus Lupin.

"Oh, hello, Harry.Mind if I sit here?"

"Of course not, Professor," Harry said.

Lupin magicked his trunk into the overhead compartment, and sat down in the seat opposite Harry."Long time, no see.Have a good summer?"

"Great, by my standards."

"Glad to hear it," said Lupin.He knew what _that_ meant."Er, Harry, we….by we I mean Professor Dumbledore and myself…think that you might have, shall we call it, a rare ability?But we're not sure, so…"

Harry stared at Lupin.This was a first.Someone coming straight out and telling him their suspicions._No, wait, he hasn't told me anything, just babbled senselessly._

"Would you mind shutting your eyes?It's the only way for me to find out if you have it."

"Okay," said Harry, closing his eyes.

"Do you see anything?"

"Black," said Harry."Am I supposed to see anything else?"

"Yes, but wait a few moments, it might show up."

After a minute, Harry said, "Mist."

"Good.You're getting there.I want you to just try to imagine that the mist is everything.You're in the mist, the mist is the world, I don't exist, nothing exists.I'm not going to say anything now, just try to do that, and don't open your eyes until I tell you."

_Okay, so the mist is the world…_Suddenly, he felt himself being spun very rapidly.Was he upside down or right-side up?The mist was swirling around him.Long, delicate tendrils of fog reached out for him.But was it only mist…A tree met Harry's vision.A gnarled willow, drooping, sagging, it's branches touching the ground.And…a man.

__"Harry," said the man.

Harry started.How did he know his name?

"We've been waiting a long time for you."

Harry looked around in surprise.He and the man were standing in a circular clearing, gravestones on the perimeter, as far as the eye could see.But none of this took away the shock of the man's chilling words:

"Welcome to the world of the dead."


	5. Part 5

_Author's Note:I'm back again!Hehehe, did you miss me?Um, in this part, Harry's talent is elaborated on.I'm sorry this took me so long to write, but my process takes a while, I was grounded, and I hadn't finished my homework.Typing this has been a gradual, weeklong process.Make my hours of labor worth something! Review my stuff!_

_**INSTALLMENT 5**_

Harry stood, stunned. 

"Yes, the world of the dead.Is it really so surprising?With everything that's happened to you, I should think that nothing would be that shocking anymore."

"Who ARE you?" said Harry, thoroughly startled.

"You've heard of me.Nicholas Flamel.Pleased to meet you.And by the way, you don't need to say things out loud.I can hear what you're thinking."

_What the hell…_

__"I'll disregard that last one, Harry.And no, this isn't quite hell, but you're on the right track…"

"Am I dead?" thought Harry uncertainly._Well, I guess it can't be hell, it's too cold…_

"No!" Flamel chuckled merrily, a sound that contrasted sharply with the barren marsh surrounding them.Harry began to relax."You're in the world of the dead, the only living person who has access to it!You're what's called a necromancer."

"A what?"

"Necromancer.Blimey, this is going to be difficult.You have no idea whatsoever?"

"None."

"I see.Well, you mustn't stay here long.You're separated from your body, and it's very taxing the first few times."

Harry looked down at his body, which seemed to have a strange translucent quality.His hands were shaking badly, and he noticed for the first time that he was a bit unsteady on his feet.

"Yes…Open your eyes in your world to get out of here.Ask whoever had you do this exactly what a Necromancer is, tell them you talked to me, and tell them to write Albus, telling him what you are.Let Albus know that I need to talk to him about the implications of the prophecy.And ask them to tell you exactly what a Necromancer is.You'll find out your limitations eventually, but I can help you use your abilities to the fullest extent.I'll appear to you tonight in a dream.Until then."

He flickered and disappeared. The world around Harry spun once more, and it seemed to be getting farther away, but something reached out and struck him.It seemed to be pulling him back down, and it reminded him of the Devil's Snare which he, Hermione, and Ron had encountered in their first year.He struggled, and it's grip tightened in response.He realized it was the willow trees, as a withered branch grazed his face, splitting his lip.Blood dribbled down his chin, a warm trickle in the cold, dead world.

"Stay," it moaned. More trees suddenly appeared."Graves will make a cozy bed…no one leaves…the world of the dead…"

Branches tightened painfully around his middle, making his diaphragm contract and knocking the wind out of him.

"Harry!Open your eyes!" he heard someone say in the distance.

_The trees aren't real._

"Harry!" the voice said urgently."Remember!"

The train…the voice…it belonged to Professor Lupin…He had to open his eyes there as well.

Harry remembered the train, the compartment…_I'm there not here, I'm there not here…_

"NO!This is the only reality!Our world!Your world!"The trees' hold on him became even tighter.

_It's not real, it's not real, I'm there, not here…_Suddenly, he felt himself jammed into a solid body, his eyes opened.Lupin and the compartment swam slowly back into view. He blinked.

"Are you all right?" asked Lupin worriedly.

"Yeah, I think so…What happened?" said Harry, perplexed.

"You tell me.Just what did you see?"

"Er-A guy."Harry's memory was quickly fading, his mind registering the events of the past few moments as an extremely odd dream.

"What was his name?" Lupin questioned.The boy was forgetting, and quickly.Dumbledore had warned him of this.He had to hurry.

"Nicholas Flamel," Harry replied, his voice calm and cold, betraying no emotion.

"Did he mention Necromancy?"

"Yes."

"Did he say when he'd see you again?"

"Tonight, in a dream."

Lupin shuddered inwardly.That wasn't Harry speaking.Harry didn't always remember dreams accurately; sometimes he forgot them, according to Sirius and Dumbledore.He had met Nicholas Flamel once, and while warm and friendly to his close friends and relations, he had a skin of ice that he could effectively pull around him to distance himself from others.That tone of voice, that flatness, he had only heard it once before: when Dumbledore had introduced the two men at a luncheon he had hosted.

"You're a Necromancer, then?"

"That's what he said.What's a Necromancer?"

_Good, that's him again.He was about to forget, Flamel must have stepped in, and prodded his mind, or something like that._"Necromancers see dead people.Literally."

"But I had my eyes shut."

"You have the ability to channel with spirits in a world unattainable to the rest of us.You can also allow spirits to possess you, so that they can speak directly to the living without your intervention.Of course, that's a very personal decision because they'd be controlling your body, your mind, your actions." 

He was interrupted as the door of their compartment opened and Hermione stepped in.

"Hello, Hermione!" said Lupin brightly, dropping the grim tone with which he had been speaking to Harry with.

"Professor Lupin!" exclaimed Hermione."What a pleasant surprise!Hello, Harry…" she trailed off as she saw the puzzled intensity of the gaze that Harry was fixing Lupin with."Am I intruding?" she asked hesitantly.

"No, not at all!" said Lupin smoothly, shooting a swift glance at Harry that effectively told him not to mention their conversation."Harry, Hermione, I'm going up front to speak with the conductor, I'll be right back," he announced, exiting.

"Last time he said that, he owled Dumbledore.Have you been getting into trouble?"

"No, why ever would you think that?" said Harry dully.

"What were the two of you talking about?" she asked, perplexed, taking a seat next to him.

He sighed and looked at her.She was startled at the look in his eyes. The normally limpid emerald eyes were now blank, expressionless, hollow, empty.To her, he looked tired and slightly ill.

He looked so alone.She grasped his hand impulsively.It was colder than ice.

"Harry, your hand!It's so cold!Are you sick?"

"Not that I know of," he replied, abruptly withdrawing her hand from hers.

"You should go see Madam Pomfrey or something!"

"Why?I feel perfectly normal, and people would think I was a coward."

"Well, I wouldn't, and anyway, I'm more concerned about your health than your reputation."

Harry smiled."That's good to know."

She leaned towards him, and he thought the look in her eyes was alarming:A longing for something more than friendship.He backed away as best he could.She draped one arm around his neck and leaned into him, her head on his chest, her other hand reaching below Harry's chest, between his legs…Harry realized what she was doing and was about to stand up and tell her off… Thankfully, someone knocked on the door.

"May I come in?" asked Lupin's voice from behind the door.

Hermione looked at Harry, disappointed.He was, in fact, much cuter than Ron. His body was proportionate, his eyes were a dream come true, his hair…Well, that could be fixed.His frame was still gaunt, however, Hermione suspected that he would shoot up rapidly over the next year.His growth spurt had to be coming, and paired with the Hogwarts diet, he would have a body any girl would admire.She absolutely HAD to hook him before the other girls got after him.However, he didn't seem remotely interested, and those eyes, she as certain, would be trained upon Cho Chang.

_Ha!As if!She only goes for older guys, and they have to be cute, to boot!She thinks she's SO perfect!And that makeup!It's very well-applied, wonder how long it takes her?Well, with a face like THAT, I can't say I blame her!She'll never like him!So many other guys are after her already, besides, Harry has common sense!He'll want a girl with guts, a real Gryffindor, not some bookish Ravenclaw!_

__"Absolutely!" called Harry.Hermione hurriedly got back into her own seat.Lupin entered the compartment and closed the door behind him.

"I have to get back to the Prefects," said Hermione as she stood up.She left.

"She tried to TOUCH me!" said Harry, alarmed, as the door closed behind her.

To his surprise, Lupin laughed.

"With all due respect, Professor," Harry snapped, "I don't think it's very funny."

"You're now officially a teenager," he said, grinning."I was wondering when she'd fall for you or Ron."_Oops, wrong thing to say._"Tell me exactly what happened, I have to tell Sirius!" he said gleefully.

"She sat down next to me, and then she grabbed my hand, and started going on about how cold it was and how I should see Madam Pomfrey, then she leaned into me or something…her eyes were really scary, they didn't look like her at all, it was like they belonged to some crazed psycho…"

"She said your hand was cold?May I see?"

Harry held out his arm.Lupin touched the back of his wrist and shivered.

"You're a Necromancer, all right."Harry withdrew his arm."So where were we in our discussion about Necromancy?"

"About how people can control me."

"Ah, yes.They can do things that you normally wouldn't want to do, especially if they're in there against your will.Necromancers are quite rare.The last one, as I'm sure you already know, was Flamel.He wasn't much good at it, though.He could only talk to Muggles, and that was if he was a mile away from the bodies.He came 500 years after Godric Gryffindor, so we weren't expecting another for 500 years after today…"

"I'm sorry, but this is getting seriously fucked up."

"WHAT!" said Lupin, in the closest thing he had ever emitted to a bellow.

Harry cringed."Excuse the language?" 

Lupin chuckled again."How many times have people told you you're like your father?"

"Er, Sirius at the end of my third year, lots of people say I look like him…"

"Well you are.That meant that you have no clue what's going on, right?"

"Something like that."

"In that case, maybe I'd better leave it at that.Albus can probably explain better than I can."

"If you say so."

"You want me to tell you more?"

Harry shrugged.

"I'd suggest that you try and get some sleep.You could conceivably be up a very long time once you get into Dumbledore's office."

"Okay," said Harry agreeably, closing his eyes._He's here, and he probably knows about my dreams, he wouldn't tell me to do this if he thought it could hurt me…_He thought uncertainly.

"I'll just go and check around a bit, talk to my old students, shall I?" said Remus, finding an excuse to leave Harry to his sleep.But there was no response.He smiled sadly to himself.The boy looked so innocent.But he was capable of so much….and if his resolve were not enough, if he succumbed to the darkness, then all was lost.To think that a boy who could decide the future of the world could look so defenseless, so prone, so…weak.

__

_Damn, is that the end?Don't kill me, I'm SORRY it took so long!I had trouble portraying Lupin, and I was grounded, it took me a while and 4 hours of housecleaning (INCLUDING: Dusting, cleaning the floor with ammonia, washing every decoration we have, cleaning the chandelier, polishing the furniture, etc.)Thankfully, tonight my parents are out, and last night they had a party.If you people want some idea of how long it takes me to write a part, here's what I do before I post my part on ff.n, how I write it, etc.So if you get impatient, just think of how much work I'm doing for you:_

  1. _I have the whole series plotted in my head.I know whom I'm going to kill and what I'm going to do._
  2. _I have a part in the middle all written up, waiting to be typed:THE FIRST POSSESION!!!My main problem is writing parts between 4 and whatever number I'll give that one.I have to write the parts in between, then I'll be able to give it a number._
  3. _I sit thinking in a class where it's either too easy or too hard for me to comprehend (normally math, science, or art, but in art Mr. Weiss has been known to take papers and rip them up in front of the class.He did this with Henry's (EEW!) math homework, and he took a note from my friend and never gave it back, he took away my poetry journal but thankfully gave it back, but I think he read it, and he took an article I was writing for our school newspaper.)The idea comes to me._
  4. _I pull out my X-Men folder where I store finished, typed, good original stories that I wrote for English (I intend to post The Silver Disk on ff.n eventually) and in progress fanfics (that I haven't typed up yet.)Of course, blank paper is in there too!_
  5. _I take a sheet of loose-leaf paper out, and I start to write really small on it.(I write 2 lines on each line, and I don't switch lines between speakers or have paragraphs or any type of normal formatting, but I do spell properly and write out the words.)I draw an imaginary line between each line, so that 1 line becomes two, and I write 2 lines on each one.This whole stuff about how small I write is irrelevant.Suffice it to say that this is very small and very neat and legible, although most people can't read it!(This prevents my friends from thinking that I am still an obsessed Harry Potter freak, and stops teachers from thinking I'm a perverted sicko when I torture Harry!Hehehe.)_
  6. _Once I have finished writing out the part on looseleaf (I write several, because I misplace them and start from where I left off, then I find the old ones, some I rip to shreds…etc._
  7. _Finally, I finish all my homework, have done an hour of piano and half an hour of clarinet, and it's before 7:00 PM or a weekend.(Sometimes I get up from 5-:45 to eat breakfast, feed my cat, pack for school, make my bed, and get online by 6:30 so I can check my email, respond, and write some fic.)I type fic after I've written it out, because writing it out gives me something to work with once I've gotten a keyboard, and because it holds me over between sessions on the computer, which I don't get as frequently as I would like.I could conceivably type my fanfiction at school and home because I'm in the Technology TA so I get anywhere from 5 minutes to half an hour at school to use the computer for whatever I want except IM or email.Someone tell me how to format a floppy disk on a PC and if PC Office 2000 files are compatible with Macs equipped with the program, and I will.You'd seriously help me crank out these installments, so if you have any suggestions on floppies, IM or email me ASAP and I'll try to take your advice!!!_
  8. _After I've gotten it all typed up, with minor and major (sometimes I don't like the way it's going, so I change the flow completely) I fire it off to my wonderful beta readers:_

·_Rufus_

·_Quillow_

·_Metal Mouth_

You guys (oops, gals, all of ya!) rock.

Teresa, you've helped me immensely on plot development, you know exactly what I'm going to do, sorry I didn't respond to your email, looking forward to seeing more of your Ginny fic.(Go Anita Fleming!I just HAD to be a Muggle, though, right?J/K, thanks for the namesake!)Your one about James and Lily was TOO funny.I think that you and Quillow are the 2 people who know my entire story line.I began to relate it to Lexis who had the misfortune of reading this story at Abbie's…I'm not sure she understood.

Really, Lexis, I don't blame you for not liking it, if anyone else was writing this other than me, I probably wouldn't care much for it either, especially the second part.You have a strong stomach, I commend you.("What's her name and I are going to be mates!" LOL, LOL!!! "We're going to go make baby bats!!!ROTFLMAO!!!Little joke there, sorry.)

_Rufus, I can't wait for the next part of yours, you know I love it, and so do lots of other people!(I still get to beta you, right?)And do you know who won the Manchester v. Newcastle match? I watched about a minute of that, but I didn't finish my math in time to go watch the rest.(That and it slipped my mind.)Quillow, yes, I love your fic too, you know that!You didn't email me the 5 ideas__L j/k.Ican wait, as you said, college is important!Good luck with all the projects, I LOVED your English, and your Neo-Nazi paper seemed quite well informed.The newspaper dates threw me off a bit, though, and the part about the guy who got smashed into the glass door having bled to death in 2005 minutes seemed a bit out of whack.(Did you mean 25 minutes?)In some parts it sounded like Hitler did all this stuff in the 90's, and that can't be right, can it? Pyramus and Thisbe was outstanding!It was so good!You'd better have got an A!_

_Note to the beta people:This part, I'm sending to all of you, but I'll decide who to send it to based on the response time.Does that work for you?I'll send the next part to whoever replies first for this one, the second to whoever responds second, third part to the third, etc.Everyone will (hopefully) get to read the fic equally and you'll still have to go to ff.n to read the parts you didn't beta!(If you changed your mind about beta-ing me, just write back saying that.I understand.And tell me if you don't like any scenes I have.Grammar and spelling edits are good too.Love ya all!)_

_~_^ Thanks is you read this far!_

_Coqui the Mighty Frog_

_ _

_Oh yeah, and it all belongs to JKR and WB, you know the rest. _


	6. Part 6

_Hi!! I'm back!! Did you miss me?Well, after madly scrawling away during English, Math, Science, and History (not necessarily in that ORDER, and not to forget lunch!) this is what I've come up with!Big hellos to Maggie, Laura, Jen (AKA Aussie Opal, the Newsies fic writer) and anyone else from Glasgow reading this!Hello also to my ff.n buddies…No Reply, Quillow, Rufus, Metal Mouth, etc.Oh, lord, there's too many, and I wanna make this note SHORTER than the actual story!Well, after hours of wrestling with the chapter thingy, I think I've got it, so…ON WITH THE FIC!!!! PART 6!!! HURRAY!!!!!! (Hopefully 7 will be up soon, too, but I need to figure out how I'm going to do some stuff in that.)_

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Lupin re-entered the compartment exhausted mentally and physically.The previous night had been a full moon and he was nearly out of his mind with worry.What would Sirius do if Harry got hurt with Necromancy?It was an incredibly dangerous type of magic, and there wasn't any wizard at Hogwarts that would be able to get a spirit out of Harry if he was forcibly possessed without the risk of hurting him further.

Harry would be possessed against his will sooner than later.He hadn't gotten a chance to develop his ability further, and the less developed he was, the more susceptible…

Lupin knew for a fact that hundreds of dead wizards would love to get a hold on Harry, particularly Dark ones who had means of resurrecting themselves or deceased Death Eaters who could help Voldemort by forcing Harry to go to him.From there, Voldemort could resurrect his followers and even-Lupin shuddered at the thought- the most powerful wizard of all time, the one that had trained Voldemort himself: Grindelwald.Harry had to be trained, and quickly.

Lupin fell into the seat across from Harry, his fatigue carrying him immediately to sleep.

He woke up some time later to find Harry reading a book.He was about to ask how long Harry had been awake, but before he could utter one syllable, Harry said, "One hour" nonchalantly, without looking up from the book.

"What's the book?"

"The Catcher In The Rye."

"Is it good?'

"Very," Harry replied, turning a page.

"Have you read it before?"

"Five times."

"Can I look at it?"

Harry handed him a small paperback, dog-eared book.Lupin scanned the back quickly."Do you mind if I borrow this?"

"Not at all."

Lupin pocketed the novel."Harry, you mustn't mention Necromancy to _anyone._Not even to Hermione or other professors.There're enough threats to you as it is. You have my class first tomorrow.I want you to eat breakfast as quickly as possible, and get down to Dumbledore's office immediately after.The password's 'everlasting gobstopper.'Got it?"

Harry nodded.

"Excellent." The train screeched to a stop."Well, I have to get to the feast."He walked briskly out of the compartment, leaving Harry alone.

Harry stood up and stretched.'May as well try to get an empty carriage,' he thought. He had pulled on his school robes while Lupin was sleeping.He was a very heavy sleeper, as Harry had discovered in his third year on the Hogwarts Express. _[Jennifer, or was it Laura, I actually don't think he was faking it, but that's besides the point.]_He left the compartment, walked down the corridor, opened a door at the end and blinked as bright sunlight assaulted his eyes.He was making his way to the carriages when he felt a hand on his shoulder.He turned around to find himself face to face with Rubeus Hagrid.

"'Lo, Harry," he warmly, smiling down at him.

"Hi, Hagrid!" said Harry , trying to sound enthusiastic, but not succeeding.

"You all right?"

"Sure."

"Yer positive?"

Harry allowed himself a small smile."Absolutely."

At precisely that moment, a swarm of chattering students poured out of the Hogwarts Express.

"See ye at the feast," Hagrid said, turning his attention to the first years."Firs' years over here!" he bellowed.Harry smiled sadly, recalling when he had first heard those words.He had been so carefree then, so ignorant of the evil that crouched waiting for him._Well, they do say that ignorance is bliss_, he thought sarcastically.He opened the door of the first carriage and upon seeing that it was empty, climbed in.He basking in the solitude.This was the first comfortable silence he'd had for nearly a year.Most of the time during the Triwizard Tournament that he spent on his own was cluttered with thoughts about the next task, or his fight with Ron, or, (during the summer) Voldemort.He sat, intent on keeping his mind trained on nothing.It was quite pleasant, really, to not think about anything.His eyes were open, but unseeing.He looked at the wall of the carriage without really seeing it, knowing that it was made of wood, but not letting his mind think or tell him that.

A loud creak interrupted his reverie.Harry's frame tensed.The door yawned open, and an all-too familiar figure entered.Draco Malfoy.He looked swiftly at Harry, then left the carriage immediately, and Harry had just relaxed when he came back in, this time with much more conviction and flanked by his cronies, Crabbe and Goyle.They sat confidently down across from Harry, taking up the entire bench on the other side, Malfoy sandwiched between them.

"So," Malfoy began, "Here we have Potty.And where Potty goes, there is always a Weasel.So, if Potty is here, Weasel should be here.But Weasel is not.Where could Weasel be?" he said, the innocent tone he took not completely disguising the underlying harsh, scathing tone; the prized indifference and cruelty which the Malfoy family prized so highly and took such measures to preserve from generation to generation.

_He's just trying to get a rise out of me, I won't let him, _Harry thought furiously.

"Oh, that's right!" said Malfoy, acting as if the answer had just come to him."Weasel's DEAD! Wait, what was that Daddy said?"He paused, index finger stroking his chin reflectively."Potter KILLED him!"

Crabbe and Goyle guffawed in unison."I heard his death was long and slow, Potter.And a little bird told me that if you're not careful, your greasy little Mudblood friend, Granger, she'll go the same way sooner than later…But don't worry, she'll have Diggory and Weasley to keep her company-"His next words were cut off as a jet of bright light hit him in the stomach, causing him to double over.Malfoy looked up and saw the cold, hard disgust in Potter's eyes, and he was afraid.Here was power.More power than Potter knew he had.Power that the Dark Lord wanted.Oh, his master had warned him to be careful, not to let Potter knew where his loyalties lay…And not to do anything rash, for Potter could hurt him, he who could potentially be the Dark Lord's most useful (although not only) spy at Hogwarts.These abilities had to remain dormant.Voldemort had to force Potter to channel these into Dark energy, that he could use to extend his reach over the countries of the world, and dominate all, both wizard and Muggle.

Harry fumbled in his pockets and brought out his wand.He pointed it at Malfoy, anger as he had never before felt clouding his thoughts and threatening to over-power him, to spill out, beyond his control.He wanted to lash out in frustration, but managed to restrain himself."Shut up, Malfoy," he whispered dangerously, breathing hard.

"You wouldn't-" he stuttered nervously.

Harry forced his lips into a pained grin."Care to find out?" he asked, wand hand steady.

"Goyle, Crabbe, let's go."The two larger boys lumbered out of the carriage, and Malfoy turned to leave, but then spun around."This isn't the end, Potter, make no mistake."

"Oh, that's right!" exclaimed Harry, before he could stop himself."Go running to Voldemort!"

_He knows, _Malfoy thought in alarm. _But how?_He left the carriage immediately.

As soon as they were gone, Harry buried his face in his hands.What the hell had he done?It couldn't be good.Knowing Malfoy, he'd have Snape on him like a shot."I'm in deep shit," he said out loud.He had obviously done magic, but he hadn't been using his wand.How had he done it?His musings ended as the carriage rattled to a halt.He got out slowly, praying that Snape wouldn't-

"Potter," said a cold voice.Snape's.

Harry's heart sank._Damn._He looked up hopelessly. Snape looked even more sour than usual. 

"Come with me," he ordered. He turned around without making sure that Harry was following.

Harry went after him without protest, figuring that he would only get in trouble if he fought.Harry marched dutifully behind him down to the dungeons, and followed him into Snape's office."Sit," he said, pointing to the same chair Harry had sat in after Snape had caught him going into Hogsmeade.Harry sat.

"So," said Snape staring at him with his fathomless black eyes.Harry was strongly reminded of when Uncle Vernon had received Mrs. Weasley's letter inviting him to the Quidditch World Cup."Mr. Malfoy has informed me that you hit him with a curse."

"You'll have a job proving that, won't you?" asked Harry innocently.

"There are three eyewitnesses."

"So basically you're saying it's their word against mine, right?"

"There's a way to find out the last spell a wand performed."

"I won't deny I hit him with something," said Harry quietly."I haven't the faintest idea what it was, but I didn't use a wand."As these final words left his lips, he noticed Snape's face go a tinge paler, and a strange look settle over his face: One of mingled terror and awe.Harry was bewildered.What was going on here?

"Did you use an incantaion?"

"No."

"Never mind then.The feast should just be starting.You are dismissed."

Harry left Snape's office and went up several flights of stairs before finally arriving at the Great Hall.The whole way, he wondered why Snape had been so easy on him.He was about to open the door when Professor McGonagall came out holding the Sorting Hat and a stool."There you are, Potter," she said, relief evident in her voice."We were beginning to get worried. Where on Earth were you?"

"Snape's office," Harry replied, hoping that she wouldn't chew him out. 

"Ah.I understand that you had a _dispute_ with Mr. Malfoy," she said in a disapproving tone.

"One might call it that."

"I'll be expecting an explanation after class tomorrow. Go into the feast, it's just starting.

_Wow, they're nice today.Better enjoy it while it lasts._Harry silently entered the Great Hall and took a seat next to Neville, aware that the usual bright talk that had been present at the Gryffindor table before his arrival was suddenly absent, and that everyone seemed to be looking at him.After a few seconds, however, a bubble of nervous chatter broke out.Harry surveyed the High Table quickly.All of the teachers were there, with the exception of Snape.Lupin caught his eye, and smiled encouragingly.

Dumbledore stood up, and immediately silence fell over the hall."Welcome!" he said, his piercing blue eyes roaming the hall."Lord Voldemort's return to power and the events that took place last year in the conclusion of the third task have prompted the staff to enforce more precautions to ensure your safety.Dinner will be held an hour earlier, and to compensate for this, classes will also begin earlier than usual.All students must be in their common rooms by nine o'clock, and students will not be permitted in the hallways during classes without a pass from their teacher.The Forbidden Forest is just that: forbidden."Here Dumbledore looked sharply at the Weasley twins, who sat up indignantly, amid many giggle from the girls sitting around them.As the laughter echoed throughout the Great Hall, Dumbledore met Harry's gaze."No one will go in, and if someone does, the chances they will get out are very slim.However, when and if they get out, they will not get off easily.Any offenses that, in previous years, were punished with detentions, this year will be penalized with owls home.Expulsion will no longer be a threat, but a reality for certain people if they continue to break rules.On a happier note, I would like to announce that after a year of absence, Quidditch matches will be back on, although games and practices will not be continued after dark.A teacher must also agree to oversee all practice sessions.I also believe that all of the Quidditch teams are lacking captains?This issue will be decided amongst the house heads and remaining members of the teams from previous years.I am also happy to welcome back Professor Lupin to the Defense Against the Dark Arts post.I believe that's all!Enjoy the feast."He sat back down, and food appeared on their plates.

Harry took only a little food, he wasn't very hungry at the moment.He was still a bit perplexed about Snape's behavior, and he was amazingly confused about Necromancy.Since the encounter on the train, he had been feeling very drained, and he felt as though he were about to fall asleep on his feet.

"How was your summer, Harry?" asked Neville.

"It was fine," said Harry shortly."How was yours?"

"Gran was a bit uptight, but otherwise quite fun.I managed to get on a broomstick without falling off!"

"Congratulations!" Harry said kindly.

"Yeah, it was really exciting!Flying is great!"

"It is," agreed Harry.

Neville went through the process of telling everyone else how much he loved flying.Dean Thomas suggested that he try out for the Quidditch team. Neville received this very enthusiastically."D'you think I could?" he squeaked excitedly.

"Oh, absolutely, Neville!But I think you should ask Harry about that.He's pretty quiet, isn't he?"

"What?" asked Harry.He had been thinking about Necromancy and Nicholas Flamel, and trying not to fall asleep.

"D'you think Neville could make the Quidditch team."

"I dunno.It depends on the captain, competition, and position availability.I'm not sure how the selection works…"

"Oh, I definitely wont make it…" moaned Neville in despair.

Harry had finished his food by this time, and was sitting quietly staring into space.Could Voldemort profit from Necromancy?He pondered this, aware of the furtive glances being shot in his direction from down the table, more specifically, Fred and George's direction.After what seemed an eternity, Dumbledore at last announced the end of the feast.

Harry followed the other students up to the common room.Someone gave the Fat Lady the password ("Phoenix feather") and she swung open. He was halfway up the spiral staircase to the dormitory, but a loud voice cause him to turn around.

"Harry!"

He saw Seamus Finnigan hurrying towards him.

"Hey, Seamus," said Harry.

"Come sit with us a bit!"

"No thanks, I'm really tired."And he was.

"Well, okay," said Seamus doubtfully."'Night."

"'Night."

Harry got into the dorm, and practically fell into his bed.He fell asleep immediately.

_AN: That was longer than some, yayness.Thanks once again to my marvelous beta readers, MM, you get to have it next!!!None of this belongs to me, of course, cheesecake forever!!! Coqui the Mighty Frog ~_^_  



	7. Part 7

_Ack….I am SOOOO sooo sooo soo soooooooooo unbelievably sorry for the delay…hopefully the length of this part will make up for it, (well, lengthy by MY below-sea-level standards) and I hope you all enjoy…_

_Pleiadies:No!RH!You couldn't tell, could you?But he's dead…bwohahaha. _

_Rufus:Sorry I took so long!_

_Quillow:YOU SHADY BUM!LMAO.I beat you to the posting, I beat you to the posting…nannynannybooboo…long distance calling!Lol.My mom would probably never let me…._

_Chris:Welcome to my fandom!You're coming soon, I promise!Oh, by the way, I was mad because they'd checked out the Fellowship of the Ring and The Two Towers on CD…I took out All Quiet on the Western Front on CD because we're reading it in English and the other 2 are on hold so I can burn them (hopefully) during Spring Break!Jeez, that diary site takes forever to load…trying to read…did you mention you had stuff about me?__J_

_Dunno:Thank you for the wonderful review…you made me smile!__JDo post the next part of Book Of Oaths soon!_

_Sakura:Whatever did happen to the A Last Look alternate one?Please send that…If you're even reading this…you may have forgotten about my fic…THAT AUTHOR SUCKED!!! They emailed me telling me to stuff my head down a toilet but to be careful because it might barf poop on me!Hahahaa!! That actually made me laugh…so I told them to flame my own stuff.Also, you were right about a lot of the stuff you wrote, I'm intending to edit the first part really thoroughly and cut out some of the stuff…i.e. edit conversations….there were some REALLY poorly written sections and I have to fix those and still end up where I'm heading…_

_ _

**_PART 7_**(at long last!)

"Harry."

"Mph."Harry rolled over, attempting to block out the persistent voice.

"Harry," it said, a bit more insistently."Listen to me. LISTEN!"

He felt a sharp sting on his right cheek."Ouch!What was that for?" he snarled.He wasn't very good about being woken up too early.

"So you'd get up!"

Harry blinked and sat up.He reached through the hangings around his bed and groped for his glasses.He found them and pulled them on.Nicholas Flamel was sitting next to him.He let out a strangled yell, but quickly silenced it. "What's the big idea!" he asked softly, not wanting to wake the others.

"Relax!I needed to talk to you.You're seeing Dumbledore tomorrow, right?"

"Why do you care?Go away."

"Oh, on the defensive, are we?"

"No. It's 3am.I don't know why the hell you're in my dorm.It's 3am.Get lost."

"This is too important."

"Fine!If I listen to you will you **expletive** off?"

"If that's what you want when I'm finished, absolutely."

"Good.Now spit it out."

"Tell Albus that you aren't going to be forcibly possessed just yet.No one's had time to find out about you yet in my world.You have to find the exorcist before you try anything else.If Albus has any questions, you talk to me for him.Understood?"

"As well as I can get anything at 3am.Why don't you write it down?"

"I'm not solid."

"Oh.Can they see you?"

"No."

"Find exorcist, no risk of possession yet?"

"Exactly."

"Good night."Harry turned on his stomach and put the pillow on top of his head.

Nick smiled.The boy had character.He felt the shadowy substance that he had managed to assume after much effort beginning to fade away.It was very taxing on Harry to come to the world of the dead.Since Nick had been a Necromancer during his lifetime, it was possible for him to assume a very weak physical form, enough for Harry to see him.He could have sent Harry a dream, but it would have taken much longer and the boy would probably doubt its validity or not remember it when he woke up.Nick happily slipped into the world where he had no form…He felt much more at home here, after those three years, he had never really wanted to leave again.

Harry looked up.The room was strangely cold.It had been since he had woken up, but finding a dead person's….ghost? sitting on his bed had been a shock, and he hadn't noticed the drop in temperature.Or was it cold everywhere he went?He shivered and buried himself under the covers.

His body told him to fall asleep, but his mind wouldn't cooperate.

_You just saw a dead person.No one else can see them, apparently._

_What if they try to hurt me?_

_He won't.Flamel just wants to help you._

_But he's just one of many._

_He said the others didn't know._

_What if they've found out?_

__He kept on thinking of things that could go wrong, and tried to convince himself otherwise, but wasn't successful.He was still freezing.He undressed quietly and pulled on his school robes, they were much warmer.Grabbing a blanket, he crept to the common room and sat in the armchair nearest the fire.

One question kept nagging at him: What did an exorcist have to do with him?_The Exorcist_.That was a horror movie, wasn't it?He'd seen it; it hadn't remotely scared him.Movies didn't, normally.Dudley, on the other hand, had been very unsettled and screamed every time someone said "hello" to him for about a year afterwards.This wasn't a movie, though.This was life.His life.An exorcist forced spirits out of the living.Was that in case he was forcibly possessed?What would that feel like?

He finally fell asleep, these and many other questions running through his head.

The chatter of his classmates woke him some time later. 

"Hey Harry, where'd you go last night?"

"Yeah, you weren't there when we woke up, we were going to tell Professor McGonagall if you didn't show up…"

"I couldn't sleep," said Harry truthfully.He went up the stairs to the dorms and glanced at his schedule.Defense.He grabbed his books and raced downstairs, following them out of the portrait hole.

He sat at the end of the table and ate fairly quickly.Glancing at the high table, he noticed that both Lupin and Dumbledore were missing.What was the password again?Fizzing whizbee?No, that wasn't it, it was something Muggle…Everlasting Gobstopper, that's what it was.He got up to leave, but felt two pairs of hands grab his elbows.

"Where're you going, Harry?" asked Neville."You tend to get into accidents when you wander off by yourself."

_What the hell are you, some sort of stalker? Honestly…'You tend to get into accidents'?I've never heard Neville talk like that._

__"That's right, Neville.Sit and talk to us, Harry," said Seamus.

_LEAVE ME ALONE! _"Er, I left some books in the dorm…" began Harry.

"Oh, that's right, I forgot my Defense text!" interjected Dean, smacking his forehead theatrically."I'll come with you!"

"That's really okay," said Harry quickly."I can get it myself…"

"Well, still.You might go off and do something…"

_What the hell is wrong with you people?Go away._"I'm just going to get a book," Harry said very slowly, placing emphasis on each word.He left before they could object further.

He all but ran to Dumbledore's office, in case they were following.He gave the password to the gargoyle, and walked quietly up the stairs, as he could hear snippets of conversation.

"Albus, we have to tell him!He's worried enough about Harry as it is, and he deserves to know what's going on.This could affect Harry, and he'll notice, whether or not you want him to," said a voice calmly, which Harry recognized instantly as Lupin's.

"There's no use in worrying him further, I'll tell him if something happens."

"No.I know for a fact he hates that, you need to let him know NOW what the risks are.I'll have no part in this unless he's informed."

_They must be talking about Sirius…_

"Fine.Where is he, anyway?"

"Harry?I don't know…maybe something held him up?He wasn't ever late when I taught him…"

_If I go in now, they'll think I'm eavesdropping._

Dumbledore laughed."Knowing him, he's probably outside listening to us.Harry, you can come in if you're out there."

I could turn the other way and go in in a few minutes, couldn't I?No, there's no point, they'd know, somehow or other.He pushed open the heavy door and stepped in hesitantly.

"Did you have any dreams then?"

"I was awake, so I'm not sure whether or not to classify it as that."

"So Nicholas can assume a physical form? That's interesting."

"He wasn't very solid."

"Was he like the ghosts we have here at school?"

"Exactly, but I don't think he could stay that way for very long."

"What did he say?"

"To find the exorcist-"

"Albus-"

Dumbledore motioned him to be quiet."Go on."

"Outside London…" Harry's voice was becoming quieter, and he didn't know what he was saying, the words just came."Christopher…Lawrence.Age:twenty-"He hesitated."Twenty-seven."

"Wizard or Muggle?"

"Muggle-born.High magical aptitude.Theology.Priest.Member of Catholic brotherhood."

"You know what he looks like?"

"Yes."

"Is this normal?" interrupted Remus.

"Quiet, Lupin.Ask questions later."

"But-"

"SILENCE!" 

Remus was stunned.He had never known Albus to raise his voice. 

Harry was inwardly surprised, but was very calm on the outside.

"They will know before October.He must be found by then, or all shall perish."

"Does he know of the part he is to play?"

"He knows he was meant for bigger things."

"Is there anything else?"

"Not that you need to know."

"But you know all you need?"

"I don't know how to get there."

"We are to teach you?"

"Yes."

"That is all?"

"Yes."

"Excellent.My apologies, Remus, but that was pertinent."

"In what sense?"

"Well, you see, Harry knows more than we do, and unless we can tap into that specifically, it's all lost."

"And you knew that…" 

"Because Nicholas told me immediately after he lost his powers.We both knew that we would be responsible for whatever we needed to train the next one.If I hadn't prompted him, we never would have been able to access that knowledge."

"There's a procedure?"

"Not a formal one, but in a manner of speaking, yes."

"Er-Professor?" said Harry hesitantly.

Dumbledore looked at him.

"Is there anyway that you could tell me what exactly this all means?"

"I'm not quite sure.Would you please contact Nick for me?"

Harry blinked, uncomprehending.

"In other words, do what you did on the train," said Lupin.

"Oh…" Harry closed his eyes, and felt a shiver go up his spine as the mist engulfed him.

Voices.Rasping._It's been so long._**We've been waiting.**He's here.**_GET HIM!!!!!!!_**Harry's eyes darted around, trying to find the source.Those weren't Flamel.

Movements in the mist drew his gaze towards them.A procession of dark figures clad in robes was walking slowly towards him.He could tell they weren't there for a pleasant chat.The closed in and formed a tight circle.He span around, searching for a way out.

"You are the Necromancer…" one whispered.

"And so soon?"

"There must be some mistake."

"I thought it was every thousand years?"

"He would be if it hadn't been for that imbecilic Flamel."

"But he is just a boy."

"All the weaker."

"He's mine!"

"No, MINE!"

Two fell to squabbling, and the rest looked at them in disgust before turning to Harry, surveying him as a lion does its prey.The circle closed, and before Harry knew what was happening, they were atop him, grasping arms, ripping him limb from limb…The stench of death and decay was overpowering as their long fingernails dug into his arms, and their wild, unkempt hair provided ill covering for the emaciated skulls that were their faces. Blood from various wounds…on heads, on legs, on arms…saturated his robes and coursed slowly down his body, although whether the blood was his own or theirs, he wasn't sure.He opened his mouth to scream, but blood rushed in…he spat it out, and something connected with his stomach, forcing his meager breakfast up, along with more blood…he closed his eyes as a fist hit one of them…He had to get out…Vainly, he tried to open them, but they were already swelling shut…

Dumbledore gripped his desk, unable to move, powerless to do anything as bruises and blood suddenly started appearing on a very pale Harry, who was shivering wildly, in danger of falling out of the chair he was sitting in."Oh my God…" he whispered.For once in his life, he didn't know what to do.

"We're in over our heads, aren't we Albus?"

"I should say so.Damn it, if we had taught him how to Apparate first, then he could've found Lawrence, he'd might know what to do…"

"So what DO we do?"

"I don't know!How did you get him out on the train?"

"I don't remember, for God's sake!You told him to, you get him out!"

"Well you did it the first time?"

The two looked at each other."Breathe," they both said together.Bickering wasn't getting them anywhere.They were panicking and they knew it.They couldn't tell anyone, for the risk of the Dark forces finding out about Harry's abilities and Voldemort finding a way to use them…

"Harry?" said Lupin tentatively. "Please…"

His only response was a low moan from Harry as more blood appeared on him.

"Harry, remember!You must get out of there!"

Harry heard Lupin calling, and struggled, only to be hit 'round the head once more."I'm here…" he whispered, blackness closing in on the edge of his vision.

"STAY!" shouted one."You will be one of us…"

"Get off of him," said a voice from the darkness, low and commanding.

Shrieks pierced the cold air, and they obeyed, stepping back.

"He will be mine, and you will not interfere.Do I make myself clear?"

"Perfectly."

"Crystal."

"Yessir."

"Excellent."Turning to Harry, he spoke once more."So, Dumbledore has found yet another Necromancer.That pathetic Flamel was nothing, I could not use him.But you seem much more powerful."Although he could not see the man's face, Harry, from where he lay, crumpled, at his feet, he was sure that he was smiling."But you, on the other hand, may prove to be a valuable tool.My apprentice is waiting.Adieu, Potter.We will speak again, and see how I can best employ your talents for my gain…"

"Never!" 

*****

Lupin and Dumbledore both stared, speechless, at Harry's battered form, which was still sitting upright, but leaning against the back of the chair.As he spoke the word aloud, the two looked at each other with worry.

"So what do we do?" asked Lupin desperately.

"We wait."

*****

"You will learn, Potter.Crucio."

Harry saw a long, thin finger pointed at him before the all-consuming pain set in.It took all of his resolve not to scream.

"Consider that a mere warning.You will cooperate."

"No…" he stated weakly.

"Yes.Now leave."Mist…then blackness.

*****

Harry's form gave a sudden jerk.

"I think he's back," observed Dumbledore.

"What's the good of that if he's unconscious?He could still be there, couldn't he?"

"It's possible.Now-do you think Sirius would rather you or I broke the news to him?"

"Probably me."

"Very well, then.Find him and tell him."

"'Your godson is channeling with spirits at Albus's discretion'?Right."

"You don't have to use those exact words."

"I'll be back as soon as I can."With those words, he departed.

"Damn.I'd better get you fixed up before Sirius comes in…He'll kill me."

"Yeah," agreed Harry, too drained to form a complete sentence.

"Ah, you're back among the living.Hold still, I need to heal some of these bruises.

"As if there's any danger of me moving," said Harry, eyes closed.

"Tired?"

"Exhausted."

"That's to be expected._Reptus sangre extremus_…" Dumbledore murmured.

A warm, tingling sensation moved throughout Harry's body, and he felt the wounds close beneath the wand, which wasn't quite touching his skin.Dumbledore continued the incantation, but they were lost before reaching Harry's ears.His breathing became deep and regular, and he felt the stickiness of the blood disappearing.It was rather relaxing…He was completely immersed in the healing warmth that he quite forgot where he was…

"_Dormeins," _whispered Dumbledore."Sleep well, Harry.Hopefully this'll stop any dreams."

But Harry was fast asleep.

Thank you once again to my wonderful betas:

Rufus

Metal Mouth(Whatever happened to Ginny?I'm still waiting to beta the Xerox part, lol)

Quillow

TO EVERYONE WONDERING WHEN THE NEXT PART WILL BE:

_I actually has no idea on this one.I was grounded for AGES…that was part of the reason this was so delayed!If it's not up by April 20th (that's my birthday!) then expect a very LONG wait.If all goes well I'll get some time to work on it during vacation!Too short…only two weeks? _

_I confess, I haven't been focusing exclusively on this story…I have a storyline set for my 6th year sequel, too!Aren't you proud of me?Dark wizard's spirits lying in wait for Harry, falling library shelves…ooh, is this turning into a teaser?'Fraid you'll have to wait…_

~_^ _Coqui the Mighty Frog_

_ _

_PS:Don't forget to review!Luv ya all…buhbyes!!!_  



	8. Part 8

PART 8

Look how quick that was!!! Aren't you proud of me?Also, Harry's thoughts are in BOLD font, and for that I have reasons…**smiles devilishly**Read and review!!! As always, I own nothing.Luv ya!Ooh, I thought I'd post this before Sarah's Bat Mitzvah party!!! I'm SOO excited!!!!He'd BETTER dance with MEEE!!! If I manage to get a few good pictures I'll post them under my profile, so check back!!! (And I'll be changing the dumb words, too, if anyone cares…)

_Quillow:Carpe diem!I was too impatient to wait…you got off!Argh._

_ _

_Chris:No, you have Neil!I want Charlie!!!! No, here we go:You can have Neal and CHARLIE, and I can have Nuwanda!!!! Hehehe._

_ _

_Audiaa2:Huh?Um, well, he actually IS in their world…so anything that happens to him there happens to him physically too…um…yeah…_

_ _

_Rufus:Thanks for the input…Am I back on your faves yet?Haha…Actually, I feel for you, imagine my agony when Brazil lost the Cup!!! I was sooooo pis*** off!!!!We ALL know that game was rigged…_

_ _

_Ple-pla-whatever (you know who you are): Thank you soooo so soooo much!!! "It's a guest, it's a guest, goodness me well I'll be blessed!!!Something something something pot, goodness me is that a spot?"MRS. POTTS RULES!!!Actually I'm head over heels for Cogsworth…"And here you see the tapestries dating back to the late Baroque period…as I always say, if it's not Baroque, don't fix it!Ahheeheehee.Now if I may direct your attention to the flying buttresses…"_

_ _

_Dumbledore's True Love:You're a sweetie, thanks!_

_ _

_Archwiz:No!! Haven't I been reviewing?Oh dear.The interview part was absolutely fascinating…is Relana the heiress of Ravenclaw or Rowena's reincarnation or something?Ooh…so is there a lot more left?There's so many good fics…how shall I keep up with them all?_

_ _

Dunno:Are you following my fic or not?  Palmer:If you ever read this, I KNOW you just wanted to eat my words about the cheesecake in the poem!!!Lotsa fists (my compliments, of course).Thanks for reviewing!!!  Metal Mouth:I keep forgetting to send, and I won't be able to get on the rest of the weekend, so I thought I'd post and get it over with.Sorry!!!! :o( 

And thanks to anyone else who reviewed, you made my day!!And if anyone reviewing is an author, do me a favor and plug me, will ya?Especially if you have a wide audience!!!(Or if you're about to end…hint, hint, Quillow…and I sent it to you this time…you're the shady bum, not replying to my Ims…) 

Luv ya all!!!(And if you didn't get a note, I love you anyway, but you probably only reviewedonce so I dunno if you're part of my quote unquote 'following'.Luv ya anyway.Right…Here we go…sorry if it sucks…**drumroll**….

PART 8 

**_ _**

"Sirius, I have something to tell you."

_Something to tell you._The words, unreal, rang in Sirius' head._I have something to tell you.We've got something to tell you.Lily and James are dead.Harry's missing.Ron's dead._All manner of horrible words could follow that foreboding introduction. "What?" he asked."It's Harry, isn't it?"

"Yes, well, he's a…Maybe it would be better if you saw for yourself…"

"Is he all right?" said Sirius frantically.

"I think so-"

"What do you mean, you THINK so?!? Either you know or you don't!!!!"

"Ask Dumbledore!"

"Ask Dumbledore, what kind of bullshit is that?"

"You can ask Harry, if you want, for that matter!"

"He'd better be okay, or I'll kill whoever's responsible for whatever's happened…Or whoever's nearest.I'd suggest you get out of my way when I get really mad, Remus."

"I always do.Let's go, shall we?"

Sirius transformed, and followed him to Dumbledore's office.

The first thing he saw was Harry, apparently sleeping, in a chair.He seemed fine…But he knew from experience that looks could be deceiving.

"I've put a spell on him so that he can rest for a bit," said Dumbledore gently from behind his desk.

"Is he all right?"

"He should be fine."

"Should be?" snapped Sirius."What exactly are you meaning to tell me?"

"He's a Necromancer," said Lupin quickly. 

"What?" said Sirius.This wasn't what he'd been expecting.

"He can talk to dead people."

"James and Lily?"was Sirius' instant reply.

Albus sighed heavily."I'm afraid not.Nicholas said it was against the code, or something like that.Logically, if he were powerful enough, he might be able to, but I don't think it'll ever happen, or not for a while, at least."

"Oh," said Sirius, bitterly disappointed.

"I'm sorry," Remus said softly.

"As are we all," interrupted Dumbledore."But there are far more pressing issues at the moment.Perhaps in a time of peace Harry can figure out how to contact them.Now.Sirius, I think perhaps you should be a bit more comfortable with this, aware of the dangers it poses to Harry, etcetera."

"Dangers?"

"Possession-"

"Just read the book," he said, pointing to a bookshelf.

Sirius turned around to pick up the volume he was motioning to, but it flew into his hands before he could take a step towards it.It was blue, and quite thick."What language?" he asked suspiciously, peering at the silver symbols inscribed on the cover.

"English."

"So should I…leave now?" inquired Sirius.

"If you hang around, you'll get to watch me interrogate him and possibly see him in pain caused by the aftereffects of the healing…"

"I'd rather not.May I speak to him later?"He hated seeing Harry in pain and being helpless to stop it.And he didn't want Harry to see him upset again…Everyone (that is to say, Dumbledore and Lupin) had been telling him how much Harry needed a 'strong, male figure' in his life, and he didn't think he could afford a complete breakdown in front of him.

"Of course."

"When?"

"Any time before dinner."

"Okay.I'll go now," said Sirius.

"And I have Gryffindor's first period," Lupin commented, looking down at a timetable.

"All right.You two go about your business and I'll do some paperwork until he wakes up.Read some of it before you come back, Sirius."

"What about when they ask where Harry is?"

"When you take roll and you call his name, you just say 'excused.'"

"Okay."Lupin walked to the door and opened the it for Sirius, who had already transformed and was waiting patiently for Remus.

Dumbledore opened one of the many drawers in his desk and took out a piece of parchment and a quill, sighing. 

_September 2nd, 1995 A.D._

_Esteemed Governors-_

_Due to recent events, it seems that Minister of Magic, Cornelius Fudge, has been keen to see me removed from my post as Headmaster of Hogwarts. I wish to avoid a conflict, and thus offer you my resignation.Please take this as a sign of my full cooperation with Minister Fudge's wishes, as well as your own, and accept it without reserve. _

_Your support is greatly appreciated._

_Cordially,_

___Albus Dumbledore_

_Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, Headmaster_

Order of Merlin, First Class 

_ _

Dumbledore looked at the parchment, the ink glistening.He read it aloud softly to himself, putting a copy in his files, unaware that Harry was awake and listening.**He's RESIGNING?!? **thought Harry in disbelief.**No.That's impossible.No way.No…He can't!!! If he resigns, then they'd fire Lupin, and Snape, and they'd find out about Sirius, and certainly about me…WHY?!?!?Has he told anyone else about this?Does he even know I'm awake?I hope not.I mean, if he wanted to tell me, he would have, right?Yeah, I think he would have.But why wouldn't he tell me?Well, I suppose he will when he thinks the time is right…**

****Dumbledore stood up and went down the staircase and walked to the Owlery, intending to mail the letter.He read it over once more and put it in the envelope, sealing it with his wand.

**Damn!He's really going to!Wait, if he's there and I'm here, then how do I know what he's doing…maybe…if I thought something to him, he would listen?**The idea sounded feeble even to him, but anything was worth a try.

Albus was in the process of tying it to the owl's leg when the Nagging Doubt struck.A little voice (presumably his conscience) started talking to him._What about everyone here?They need you, Albus.Without you, Hogwarts will surely fall._

_No, Minerva is capable…_

_But what if they appoint another?You resigned; you have given up all intervention in the school's affairs._

_Yes, but I'll win the election for Minister and then I'll have power to do what's needed to prevent an attack._

_Will you really?You know the Minister is just a figurehead.What about the students?And their parents?You make them feel secure.It's the only reason you have any pupils, you do realize that?_

_Hogwarts is a respected school.It will have sufficient enrollment no matter who is Headmaster or Headmistress._

_Are you sure?And what about Harry?He needs you.How do you expect to train him if you're in London gathering support for your campaign?_

_Lupin can take that responsibility._

_Are you sure that whoever they appoint as your successor will want to keep a werewolf on their staff?And what other teacher are you going to have that'll let Sirius on the grounds?His Animagus form is too useful for spying, you know it has to be undiscovered, that's one of the reasons you haven't had a trial._

_Why haven't I had a trial?Wormtail's form is much more useful, and they know Sirius is a dog…Or Wormtail and Voldemort do…_

_Indeed.Pettigrew is simply Wormtail in their circle, and they all still think Black is a Death Eater.Are you sure you're doing the right thing in keeping an unregistered Animagi?That's an illegal act in itself, being unregistered, and should they use Veritaserum in his trial, it'll come out you were concealing him._

_But-_

_Work out all the logistics, Albus.Think about this carefully.Remember, the power you stand to gain may be less than you expected…_

_What do you mean?_

_Think about it.Look before you leap.I can't make all your decisions, can I?_

Dumbledore smiled, looking down at the letter."_Afuego_," he said without hesitation, pointing his wand at it.It burst promptly into flames, and he surveyed the ashes cupped in his palm with satisfaction, sure he'd done the right thing.

***

He re-entered his office to find Harry sitting awake and pensive. 

"Hello," said Dumbledore.

Harry looked up."What happened?"

"I don't know."

"Oh."

"Did Nicholas do that to you?"

"The blood?No."

"Who?"

"Different people.Dunno who.Don't think it really matters."

"Doesn't it?"

"No-except for him.I'll see him again.Yes."

"Who?"

"Grindelwald."

"But I killed him!!!!"

"Yeah.He doesn't like you very much."

"That's to be expected."

"Of course.He says he's more powerful than Voldemort?"

"He may well have been, if I hadn't stopped him."

"Are you sure you stopped him?"

"You sound terribly like my conscience."

"Is that bad?"

"Well Jiminy Cricket certainly knows a lot."

Harry looked away nervously.He'd had a little bit to do with who-what Dumbledore had been talking to in the Owlery.

"You didn't by any chance have anything to do with that little voice, did you?"

"Er-well…Sort of…Not intentionally…"

"How did you know that I've still not decided whether or not to register Sirius?"

"I didn't.I'm really sorry…That whole figurehead thing,that wasn't me."

"How do you know the inner workings of my brain?And you actually had me thinking that I was talking to myself.You sounded like me, at some points.And how on earth did you figure out that I was going to run for Minister?"

"I didn't!I heard you read your letter, and I knew you were going to mail it-"

"I didn't say anything out loud.I read it, but how did you know I was going to the Owlery-"

"So are you going to resign?"

Dumbledore grinned."No.I've burned it.Speaking of which, I should burn the copy, as well."

"YES!" 

"Thank you for-partially, I suppose- making me see sense.Though I still don't know how you did it."

Harry smiled wryly."Lucky chance."

"I'd hate to think that that was some strain of the Imperious Curse…"

"Do you think it could have been?"

"Perhaps.But it would have been unwittingly on your part."

"I didn't know what I was doing."

"Well, you have telepathic connections with the dead, so why not the living?"

**Why not indeed.**

****"Sorry?"

"Excuse me, Sir?" said Harry, slightly confused.

"Did you just say that-"

**What in hell's name is he talking about?**

****"Don't swear!" reprimanded Dumbledore.

"I didn't!"Harry was getting very flustered.

"Are those your thoughts?"

**These?**

****"Yes!"

"Well, yeah.You can hear them?"

"That would seem to be the case."

"So does that mean I can hear yours?"

_This is unbelievable.Harry?Why, oh why.The inner workings of this school will never be safe again._

__"That's not very nice.I do have respect for your privacy."

"I'm sure."

"I know that was sarcasm."

"You know too much."

"Not necessarily.There're a great deal of things I don't know jack about."

"Do you think this is just with me or that you're all around telekinetic?"

"No…This is just a little part of it…it'll be much more intense with the exorcist."

"Could you with anyone, though?"

"If I know them well enough, yes, I suppose so."

"Nick wasn't…"

"I'm not him, am I?"

"Gryffindor was.But…I…yes!"He opened a drawer and pulled out a book."Heir?" he said, almost to himself.

"Albus, I thought you'd have figured it out by now.Of course he is."

"What-you're-Harry-not-what?"

"Of course I'm not Harry.Don't you remember me, you old geezer?"Harry's eyes had changed from green to a sparkling black.

"Nick?"

"Who else?"

"Good to see you!"

"Most emphatically the same.I'd hug you, but this isn't my body."

"Why are you in there?"

Nick shrugged."Caprice, you know me."

Dumbledore laughed, but his expression quickly became somber."What happened to him in there?"

"Nothing unusual.Possession attempt, it'll happen again.It's a bit uncomfortable…was there corporal harm?"

"Bruises, bleeding…"

"That's not good."He looked down."Excellent, you've healed him already.You'll need to find the exorcist, if it's starting this early."

"What's starting this early?"

"The side effects.Harry'll explain.Once you've found him, do not allow them to be separated…Under any circumstances…Keep them close…"

"What about his telepathy?"

"To be expected.It's not very strong yet, but it will be."

"Can he with anyone?"

"Lawrence, most definitely.Even I can sometimes pick up thoughts of people.Whether or not they are sensitive enough to pick up his is a completely different issue."

"I must be, then…"

"Not surprising.You probably know him well enough, then.And he picks up yours?"

"He interfered with my judgment.I thought he was my conscience."

Nicholas laughed."The resignation?"Dumbledore didn't even bother to ask how he knew."He was in the right.I don't know how you've managed to lose your sense of direction, less than three years after I left!"

"Nor do I, my friend."

"How's Penelope?"

"Passed away right after you did."

"And the estate?"

"Bequeathed to one of your greats, just as you requested."

"How are their financial affairs?"

"They've asked me for loans, but their credibility is very bad.I only help out those who I know and trust, you know that."

"None better than I."

"I've recommended them to your former agent…"

"He's well, too?"

"Still number one in the business."

"Excellent.I knew I should have given you my property…"

"I would have sold it.I have no use for a mansion in England.And you wanted it to stay in the family."

"Thank goodness your brain is still functioning."

"I like to think so."There was a comfortable silence.

"Harry's struggling," said Nick suddenly."This can hurt him…I have to go."

"Goodbye, my friend."

"Until we meet again."

"Until then," agreed Dumbledore solemnly, shaking his hand.

Nicholas (still in Harry's body) closed his eyes.

Harry felt a cold wind pass seemingly through him.He was still in his brain, he thought, but he couldn't control his body.He wanted to very much.**GET OUT!!!!!** He screamed mentally, pushing at the walls of his invisible prison.Unending blackness…

"Thank you, Harry."Flamel's voice reverberated in his head."You can have your body back now."

Harry felt himself assume his normal shape again, but even his own body felt rather small and crammed.

"You'll get used to it."

"Thanks," replied Harry gratefully, happy to be back where he belonged.He opened his eyes, and found himself looking into those of Albus Dumbledore.

"Glad to see you among the living."

"You have no idea," said Harry wearily, slipping into a chair.

"Sirius wants to see you."

"Please not now…"

"You have classes, still."

"I do?!"

"I'm afraid so."

"I have Potions."

"You might."

"Anything but Potions…"

"Remus said he had your class in Defense.That should be about halfway through."

"Will Snape mind when I fall asleep?Wait, don't answer that…"

"Look, if you're really tired, don't go."

"Are you serious?"

"Yes."

"Thank you so, so, so, so, so much."

"You're not just trying to get out of class?"

"No."

"Feeling okay?"

"By whose standards?"

He knew full well Harry wasn't open about expressing pain, so he overlooked the question."I'll help you back to Gryffindor Tower.I can't have you in my office all day."

He stood up, and Harry began to do the same, but couldn't support himself.He fell back into the chair. 

"In that case, perhaps you'd better stay…"

"One second…"Harry took a deep breath and stood up, trying to ignore the pounding in his head and the varying distance of the floor, which seemed to be spinning.He took a step and stumbled, but managed to regain his balance as he walked purposefully, if somewhat slowly, to the door.

Dumbledore was impressed if somewhat skeptical, but he said nothing, curious to see how Harry would handle the stairs.

Harry grasped the banister and allowed the stairs to carry him downward, shutting his eyes in an attempt to block out the spiraling motion, which always made him a bit ill.

Albus followed close behind, ready to help him if he fell.

The gargoyle sprang open and Harry walked into the hallway, staying near the wall, and turned towards Gryffindor Tower.A few minutes more than it would have taken him at his usual pace, he found himself in front of the portrait of the Fat Lady. 

"Ronald Weasley," he said halfheartedly.

She smiled at him and swung outwards, and he climbed in.The hole closed immediately after him.

"Why, good morning, Albus!" she said energetically.

"Hello."

"You're not down here very often, are you!I haven't seen you in what, three months?"

"Something like that.It's good to see you too."

"Is there something wrong with what's his name?The little black haired one.He's the sweetest little dear!"

"Harry?Not that I know of," he lied.

"Wasn't he friends with the red-haired one?He died, didn't he?"

"Yes, he did.He and Harry were good friends."

"Oh, that would explain his antisocialness!!!"

"I don't know."Dumbledore walked away.The Fat Lady was a gossip, he knew that.He hated talking about Harry to anyone who didn't know him, as their conceptions were often wrong.

Harry, meanwhile, was standing behind the portrait, listening with increasing anger.Dumbledore talked about him?!?And lied, none the less.

**And I trusted you.**

****_What?Oh.Harry. _

__**Yeah, it's me.You lied to her, Professor.**

****_Trying to stop rumors from spreading._

__**Any reason?**

****_I thought you'd appreciate it._

__**I can deal with rumors.**

****_I was just trying to-_

__**Help.Right.If you really wanted to, you could just go and convince Fred and George and Ginny that I didn't kill Ron.**

****_They don't think that._

__**Yes, they do.**

****_Harry-_

__**I know you only pretend to care because of the necromancy bit!**

****_That's not true-_

__**Don't kid yourself.**

****_I care about YOU, not the necromancer…_

__**Shut up.**

****_Harry, listen to me…_

But there was no one there.

*****

****

****Harry fell into an armchair and let the tears of frustration flow freely.Dumbledore didn't care, that didn't come as too big of a surprise, after all, he was the Headmaster, he probably didn't want to be involved in his student's lives.

**Does Sirius feel the same way as him?**"No" was the obvious answer.**But he SAID I was my father's son.What if it's just because I AM his son…**He was quickly becoming very confused, and only cried harder.

Meanwhile, during the class change…

Remus had just let out his Defense class, and he and Dumbledore were talking very quietly inside the now-empty classroom. 

"Telepathic-hates me-"

Hermione, listening outside the door, heard snippets of their conversation.She'd have to tell Draco…

Albus was genuinely upset, Remus could tell._Strange, he doesn't normally get worked up._"I'm sure he doesn't."

"Maybe not, but he's certainly very angry."

"Why wasn't he in class?"

"He's exhausted.I put him under the Dormeins charm during most of your class, but then Flamel possessed him, so he was in even worse condition…and I somehow doubt seeing Snape'll make his condition any better."

"You've healed him?"

"First thing I did."

"I'll go and talk to him during lunch, see how he is and such.I won't mention this, as he'll probably assume we were talking about him behind his back, which we sort of are, but that's okay, he needn't know…" 

**I already do.**

****"What?"

**You heard me.I dunno if you're the same as him, but…**

****"Remus?"Dumbledore's voice cut into his reverie.

__"You said he was telepathic?"

"Yes."

_Harry, I know you're there._

__**I should hope so.**

****_What exactly are you thinking at the moment about Albus?_

__**That's none of your business.**

****_No more so than your eavesdropping on my conversations, correct?_

__**So you're pissed at me too, is that it?**

****_Not at all.I'm just slightly worried that you'll try to shut out me and Sirius, too._

__**Probably not, but well-**

****_What?_

__**You really give a damn about me because of who I am and not because of who my father was or what my past's been like?**

****_Why would you think otherwise?_

__**Can I tell you during lunch instead?**

****_Why?_

__**Because Professor Dumbledore is wondering what exactly you're doing.He just asked you how you thought I should get to London to find the exorcist.And I don't want him to be asking me that stuff right now.**

****_Okay- _He suddenly was aware that Harry was not there…."Er, wouldn't Apparition be safest?"

"Could he manage it, though?" asked Dumbledore, unaware of the pause in their dialogue, or if he was, he didn't make it obvious that he'd noticed.

"He probably could…we all know he's pretty capable."

"But if he ended up in the wrong place…"

"Then he'd get himself back somewhere safe.He's pretty bright, I think he could handle it."

**Nice to have your vote of confidence.**

****_Any time._

__"You sure?" Dumbledore persisted.

**YES, you're bloody sure. I've got to prove him wrong.**

****_You're really conceited, aren't you?_

__**Me?**

****_Yes, you._"I think he's up to it."

"Will you talk to him about it?"

"Yeah."

Students began trickling in."Well, I've got a class to teach."

"See you later, then."

Dumbledore left, and returned to his office…

**_THE POTIONS CLASS_**

"Granger."

Draco's cold voice echoed across the dungeon.It was much deeper than the previous year, and, Hermione realized, a pleasant shiver running up her spine, much sexier.

"Yes, Master?" she replied meekly, going to his side.

"Not so loud.Have you found out anything about Potter?"

"I overheard a conversation between the Headmaster and Professor Lupin.I assume it was about him.They mentioned Gryffindor Common Room, and why he didn't show up for Defense." 

"Is he coming to Potions?"

"No Master."

"Why?"

"Dumbledore said that he was tired because Flamel possessed him."

_Flamel?Nicholas Flamel?But he's dead…_ This was rather interesting.Draco would have to report this to Voldemort."You will find out all you can about this incident."

"As you wish."Hermione bowed slightly and went to her normal table, where she was quite alone.

_My Lord will reward me…this is exactly what he wanted…_Draco smiled.His casting of the Imperious Curse had been quite successful, he just had to ensure its continued secrecy, or face the punishment…both his Master's and the Light's.But Dumbledore would not find out…Granger could not resist…if Snape told, he would be terminated…Voldemort suspected that he might be a spy…

He would bring honor to his family.

****

Thanks to Rufus for telling me it's ok to stop there!Likenesses are neither claimed nor implied, and characters are the intellectual/physical/sexual/oops property of Joanne Kathleen Rowling and the WB.

_ _

_Coqui the Mighty Frog_~_^

(Don't forget to review!!!!)

****__

****


	9. Part 9 (what else is there to call it?)

Snape swept angrily throughout the corridors, until he reached the portrait of the Fat Lady."Phoenix Feather," he snapped irritably, climbing in, his cape swishing behind him.He glanced around the common room.Potter had some nerve to skip his class.He'd make him pay."Potter, I know you're in here…"

"Good for you."

The voice was coming from an armchair with its back towards him.He made to go look Harry in the eyes before telling him off, but he was interrupted.

"Please don't look at me right now," requested Harry.

"Why are you skipping my class?"

"If I could stand up I'd come."

"What's ailing you this time?"

"It's none of your business."

"Quite the contrary.It is one of my duties as a teacher to ensure the safety and well-being of my students," he said silkily."I should help you up so that Madam Pomfrey can get a better look at you."

"That won't be necessary," said Harry quickly.

"Then get up and come to my class.You've already lost fifty points for cutting, if I see fit I'll take away another hundred for you talking back and refusing to obey my directions."

**HELP ME, LUPIN!!!!!!**

****_Harry, I'm teaching-what seems to be the problem?_

__**I don't want Snape to see me like this, and I can't walk.He's not supposed to find out, right?**

****_No.Make sure he doesn't._

__**Get him out!!!!!!**he screamed mentally.

_One moment._"I'm sorry," he said to his seventh year Hufflepuff Defense class.He pretended to glance at a piece of parchment on his desk, and snatched it up, tucking it into his robes."Something's come up.I'll be back within ten minutes.I'm trusting that you'll stay in some state of order, and that my classroom will be recognizable upon my return.Thank you for your cooperation."

"You sound like a flight attendant," observed a Muggle-born student.

There were several snickers, and he smiled fleetingly before retreating to Gryffindor Tower.

"Phoenix Feather."He scrambled through the hole.Harry had sounded desperate. He was probably crying."Severus, there's no need for you to be in here.The Headmaster has granted Harry explicit permission to be out of classes today due to his current state."

"I hardly think that Professor Dumbledore should rule a minor injury not worthy of Poppy's attention means for a student to be absent."

"Severus, please don't meddle further in this affair."Lupin's voice was blasé, but his icy glare communicated the authority his tone lacked.

"You will make up the work missed in class at my convenience, Potter.I am still taking fifty points, and the homework will be turned in on time."

Receiving no reply, he turned and exited the common room, muttering something that sounded like 'like father, like son'.

Lupin turned his attention to the back of the chair."What's wrong?" he asked quietly.

"I dunno…"

"I'm sure you do.If it's about Albus, or Sirius, or me, or anyone else, for that matter, hell, even girls, I'd be only too happy to hear about it."

"Does Sirius only give a damn about me because of who my father was?"

"Of course not!"Remus was shocked.He hadn't been expecting that."Certainly, he only became involved in your life at all because of that, but I know for a fact that you're the world to him, and if you were an asshole he wouldn't care if you died.He thinks you're smart, brave…well, perfect.That's the way parents think, Harry."

"But he's _not _a parent!"

"He tries."

"He shouldn't!"

"Why not?"

"I mean, I appreciate it, but…I hardly ever see him, and when I do…"

"You talk about stuff you wish had never happened?"

"Well, yes…but you can't change the past…I don't mind that so much…it just doesn't feel right, I guess."

"Talking about it, or just having someone that cares?"

"Both."

"You're confused."

"I know it.But it almost seems like he's trying to shelter me."

"He worries a lot."

"That's good, then?"

"Very."

"I don't know him well enough…for him to be a parent, or anything close."

"Well, he is the closest you have, isn't he?"

"Absolutely."

"And don't you want one?"

"Kind of," he admitted.

"Well, what's your conception of a parent?"

"I'm not sure."

"May I sit down?"

"Yeah."Remus sat down, but had the decency not to look at him.

"Can I help you out?"

Harry shrugged, but realized that he wasn't looking at him."Okay," he said uncertainly.

"Parents…not biological, mind, are…mine were…parents in general…that is….damn it, I'm starting over.Obviously, biological parents are the people who conceive you.Birthparents, etcetera."

"This isn't sexual education, Professor."

"Huh?"

"I spent several years at a Muggle school, learning about crap like that.STDs, 'family units', gender roles, AIDS, watching gay videos of stupid kids in Lycra pants taking steroids."

"Oh."He took a moment to process this information."Meaning?"

"You don't have to worry about going over the whole 'sex' thing.It's been done.For the better part of five years."

"Well then.If the biological parents are unable to care for their offspring-"

"Stop trying to make it so politically correct.You're making them sound like squirrels."

Remus laughed."All right.It'll be slightly more graphic, though.When the two people who get hot in bed can't care for their baby, either through accident (i.e. teen pregnancy), or design (i.e. murder)…the kid's sometimes adopted."

"You're not making a very convincing point here."

"I'm not?"

"Want to know what I've learned so far?"

"Share your wisdom."

"When two squirrels have a baby and they got pregnant as teenagers then they can't feed their baby because of a shortage of nuts (such as yourself) then baby go bye- bye."

"Are you insulting my teaching skills?"

"What else?"

He pretended to pout."Do you even want to have this conversation?"

"For lack of anything better to do, sure, why not?"

"You say you learned about family units?"

Harry rolled his eyes."That was the stupidest lesson in the class, and that includes the one on self-esteem.Blended, single parent, nuclear, extended, lalala."

"A parent is someone who cares about the baby squirrel until-"

"He gets fed up with the baby squirrel?"

"No!Until the baby squirrel can take care of itself!"

"You're saying that that big friendly doggie is going to leave baby squirrel the minute it hits seventeen?"

"No, Sirius wouldn't do that to you.After you move out of dependence, and you're on your own, he'll stay in touch, he just won't feed you or let you live off him unless you're in search of a job."

"Or I pay rent for the tree?"

"How the hell did you get squirrels out of the phrase 'hot?'"

"Because I don't like the idea of two people fucking like rabbits.And the nearest thing to rabbits are squirrels.And I don't want to live in a rabbit hole.And squirrels are prostitutes," he added as an afterthought.

"Prostitutes?What does that have to do with your parents?"

"You hinted that they were unable to support me because my mother became pregnant as a teenager."

Remus started laughing and couldn't get control of himself for a few minutes."You're just not mature enough to handle this conversation."

"Yes, I am.But you sound like the mother in the video where the girl gets her period and she pulls out like ten boxes of pads.'There's a slim pad for light flow days, a maxi pad for medium flow days, and a SUPER MAXI pad for heavy flow days!Some girls prefer to use one product, while others prefer to use separate depending on their needs!Some even wear a slim pad and a tampon for heavy flow!A tampon is inserted into the vagina by means of a plastic applicator tip-'"

"Harry, shut up."

"Fine.Aren't you supposed to be teaching a class?"

"Yes.I'm sorry, I have to go."

"Bye, and thanks."

"You're welcome."_That was easier than I thought it would be.I wonder what Sirius finds so hard about it?_He returned to the class, and finished a rather dull period dealing with theories behind magical law enforcement.

_Feeling better?_

**Which way?**

_Either._

**Both.**

_Can you walk?_

**A little.Still tired, though.**

_You should get some sleep._

**No…not that kind of tired.**

_Hurting tired?_

**Yes.**

_You should, then._

**I'm more bored than anything.**

_Do work for my class, then.Read chapter one._

**Okay.**

_You still cold?_

**No…fire's warm.**He walked to his dorm and picked up the book.**Lions and tigers and bears, oh my!**

_What's wrong with my lesson plans?_

**Nothing.This is rather dry.**

_Yes, but it's required.So stop complaining._

The countercurse to…blah blah blah… 

_Don't blame me!_

God, this is easy.Just point wand at threat, utter incantation, a crash of drums, a flash of light, scary thing flies out of sight…

_I didn't know you liked musicals._

**__I hate them.Joseph and the Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat, Andrew Lloyd Weber, lyrics by Tim Rice…Holy shit.This is scary.That's not me.**

****_I'd realized._

__**Dammit!What do I do?**

****_I don't know.But you'll have to get used to it._

__**Great.So now I can attribute moodswings to an external source beyond my control?**

****_That seems to be the case._

__**Excellent!I can cuss out Snape and tell him it wasn't me!Brilliant!**

****_That could count as abuse of your powers._

__**Damn.Anyway, back to your assignment…What are the odds that any of us get sidetracked by a rampaging manticore?**

****_Slim to none._

__**Have you even read the chapter?**

****_Would you believe me if I said yes?_

__**No.**

****_Well, most of the people in your class-with exceptions, that is, couldn't handle most of those curses.Patience, Harry.You'll have a problem course sooner or later._

__**Too true.**

_Have fun with your Potions homework._

I will, don't worry.Harry sat at a desk, propped open the book.Suddenly, it all clicked.If…then it had to be in proportion…math!It had been his best subject.He had completed it in a matter of minutes.Wow.I didn't know that was so easy.

_You're done already?_

Yeah.Legible, too.

_I'll have to see it to believe it._

Yup.

_Since when do you say 'yup'?_

I don't!What the hell is going on?What if I say something like that out LOUD?

_People would suspect._

No kidding.

_Do you suppose it could be something about the exorcist?_

Maybe.I have a feeling that convincing him to stay is going to be a problem.

_I think you'd better learn to Apparate, then we can worry about that._

Apparition isn't going to be a problem.

_All the same.I wouldn't be surprised if Albus manipulated your schedule so you have seventh year Charms, and possibly Defense. _

So what about 5th year, and the OWLS?

_Teachers never bother to explain that the OWLS aren't scholastic.It's based on magical ability.The first four years are about projecting it.That's the point of all the assignments-so you can get an accurate reading._

I thought it was some monster exam.

_It's nothing to stress over if you're confident that you can perform the spells confidently.All the same, it's a good idea to do the work, as you still receive a final grade in each subject._

That's messed up.

_The system is__ questionable, however, as it does determine your career opportunities, it's preferable to score well.Take it from someone who knows.Damn.I have 7th year Slytherins.I have to pay attention to keep them under control.Can you break off the connection or whatever you did earlier?_

Easily.

_I'll some materials on Apparition to you later this evening, all right?_

Okay.

_You'll have to read a lot for this stuff._

I'd realized.

_How's that?_

Sirius has an amazingly thick book about Necromancy.I highly doubt you haven't read it.I'm probably next on the list to read it.

_Probably.Bye._

Bye.Harry sighed and leaned back in the armchair.What was he going to do for the next few hours?He honestly didn't know.He didn't have any homework assigned yet, other than what Lupin had mentioned, and that wasn't remotely interesting.Oddly enough, he had the notion that if someone asked him any question about the texts, he'd be able to answer them instantly.But the logical side of his mind insisted that this was impossible, as he'd never read them.He didn't know what was happening, but he was feeling that he somehow knew things that he shouldn't know, at least, not for a few years.This wasn't akin to the feeling that teenage Muggles often have, that they know way too much about sex and drugs that's good for them at that age.No, it was different.Not harmful, most likely very helpful to others, but all the same, odd.Information about subjects he'd never even heard of, but he knew he could pull out at a moment's notice, like a rabbit from a hat.

_HHellH_


	10. Part 10 (really! Double digits, boom ba...

He didn't sleep well at all that night

He didn't sleep well at all that night.Worries about what would happen the next day in classes prevented him from sleeping, and when he finally dozed off, it was absolutely horrible.Dreams like he'd never had before plagued him.There were whips, and knives, and nooses, and other instruments he didn't recognize.But, to Harry's great surprise, there were no modern weapons-no guns, no bombs…but all of these were implements of torture or death…as the ones he knew by sight were used for those purposes, leaving him to assume the others were, as well.

When he awoke, earlier than usual, he pondered them for a bit.They had to have something to do with the Necromancy…looking down at his arms, he saw welts where the things had hit him…**I should probably go see Professor Dumbledore later, and see what he thinks…**

He made his way to the empty Great Hall, not wanting to see anyone from Gryffindor, although he wasn't afraid of the 'male Hermione' taunts that were sure to follow from everyone.He didn't want his roommates to try to be bodyguards.He didn't want to have to look at Fred, George, or Ginny.Especially not Ginny.He couldn't take it if she blamed him, too.It was too much as it was, and if Ginny, who was one of the kindest, most understanding people he'd ever met, turned against him too…

The teachers weren't there yet either, but sure enough, the house-elves had put food on all the tables.He ate quickly and was thinking about what to do until it was time for classes.**On second thought, what ARE my classes?**Dumbledore had mentioned something about a different schedule…The morning post flew in at exactly that moment.**Impeccable timing.**One came to him.The remainder of the fleet made themselves at home in the rafters. He relived it of its letter, and it flew back out the window.Opening it, he found his schedule.He was with the 7th year Gryffindors.He didn't know which would be worse-having the same classes as Fred and George or being with Slytherin.He supposed both would be terrible…How would he be able to pay attention with their identical glares boring into the back of his head?(Or dirty looks shot back at him from the front.)It would be hell.He sighed.He didn't have any of the course books, either.This promised to be one of the most challenging social years he would ever face…On ordinary circumstances, he would have consulted Hermione, but he wasn't sure what their relationship was at the moment.**Well, at least I have Defense first.**The classes were in the same order as his, just on a different day of the week…So he had Potions next.**Brilliant.Absolutely brilliant.Watch me get paired with one of them…_[Fred or George]_**Harry left the Great Hall, intending to just wander the halls avoiding people until nine o'clock, which was when his lessons started.He turned right after he exited, and ran into two redheads.Identical.They glared and folded their arms across their chests at the exact same moment."We need to talk."Harry nodded in agreement, and followed them down the corridor.They turned into an empty classroom, and beckoned him in. They closed the door behind him."Listen, Potter," began George, "we don't like you very much right now."

"I'd noticed," said Harry dryly.

"And so you should have," growled Fred."You killed our little brother."

"Inadvertently," snapped Harry."And it wasn't me.If you'll excuse me gentlemen, I'll see you at nine o'clock."

"No, we have different schedules, so you'll see us at lunch.Watch your back."

"I believe they're indistinguishable as of this morning."

"Huh?"_[AN:Maggie, Laura: Sound familiar?Sounds like George's had one too many joints…gee, I wonder who he could be hanging out with? __J]_

"Forget it."Harry made to walk out the door, but Fred grabbed his shoulder and spun him around roughly."Not so fast.Do you deny you killed Ron?"

"Ron was guilty by association, and that's why he was murdered. I don't deny that.However, the syllables of the killing curse have never left my lips when my wand was pointed at anything.Yes, he was my friend.Yes, Voldemort killed him because of that.So, yes, I did kill him.No, I don't deny it."Harry didn't look at either of them as he said this.

"I'm glad we're in agreement.Now, we've been elected co-captains of the Quidditch team.Tryouts this year are going to be a mere formality…Ginny's going to end up as Keeper, or Seeker, whichever she's better at.And you're off, so don't even bother showing-it'll be a bother to explain why you didn't even make the first cut.Understood?" 

"Quite."

"And we'll appoint Ginny as our successor, to make sure you're kept off," added Fred.

"You do that.But I won't come back."

"We never said we'd ask you."

"True.I'll see you."He left.

"Let me at that bastard!" George shouted, running after him.

"George!No!Mum said not to hurt him!"

"Too late for that," said George, slightly calmer."He killed Ron."

"Yes, we all think so.But I think he feels badly enough already."

"It was your idea to talk to him in the first place!"

"Yes, but I'm not going to be openly hostile from this point on.Mum didn't tell us what went on after the Tournament last year, remember?She told Dad and Percy, and Ron wanted to know, but she wouldn't say.What was it she told us?"

"'It's not fit for a child to hear.'"George mimicked her voice.

"Exactly.And Harry went through it.There's not a lot she doesn't let us know.It must have been really bad."

"So?He probably deserved it."

"Yeah, I agree.Still, don't you wonder?"

"Sometimes.Ron said he changed after it."

"Ron didn't SEE him this summer, much less this year, because he's dead, and because of HIM!"

"Yeah.And he'll pay for it, too.But we should get down to breakfast if we want to eat."

**No, no, NO, please don't come this way…shit, they're coming…no, no, NO…**Wanting nothing more than to be invisible, Harry ducked behind a suit of armor…

"Hey!" came one of their voices."We're late!"

He looked nervously from between the suit's legs, _(whoa, that sounds wrong, but you know what I mean, lol) _and dust flew into his nose.He sneezed.

George looked suspiciously at the suit of armor, and Harry could tell he was looking straight at him.Or…through him?

"Did you hear something?"

"No.Let's go."

**Weird…**

** **

_Yes, I realize this is one of the shortest parts I've ever written!Ugh.Please forgive me…I'd intended to post it yesterday, as a book 4 anniversary thingy, you know, but hey, it doesn't always work out.I'm going to see Shrek in 2 hours time and to watch the Sunday Funnies on the Disney channel in one, so it would be pretty cool if I got some reviews by seven…that said, love you!Shoutouts this time go to Svolkame, (please sign in if you have stories, because author search seems to be down) for the bestest review I've ever gotten, and Dunno, who I urge to get the next part of Book of Oaths out soon!Oh, and a big sorry to Rufus…I had to post this before I went out, hehe, I just couldn't wait, and you HAVE inflated my morale with all the comments about how I don't need a beta (although I caught some mistakes in previous chapters that I need to go back and fix.)If you have any edits, I'll repost it using them…oh, and I'm about done with the little red letters on yours, look for it soon in your inbox!!!!!_

_NEWS FLASH:I HAVE BEEN GOING BACK AND FIXING OLD CHAPTERS, SO, FOR THOSE OF YOU WITH AUTHOR ALERT, DON'T PAY TOO MUCH ATTENTION TO THE FIRST NINE.Hopefully Part 11 will be up sooner than this (ugh, sorry about the delay, I was slightly blocked…sigh) and if I'm super lucky it should be out sometime next week…however, don't expect it unless you've gotten 2 little AAs from the bot saying that I've posted another chapter on Tani…the first one should come shortly before or after the one saying I've posted on 5th year, and the other one should come after you get those two.Yeah.So unless I'm majorly blocked on Tani, then this one isn't coming out until it's done.Although I may change my mind, as I actually know what I'm going to do with Part 11…_

_Peace out, buhbyes, ja!_

_Ciao!_

_~_^ Coqui the Mighty Frog _

_P.S. Unless some of you violently protest, Ronald and the Technicolor Dressrobe is going bye-bye until I finish the whole thing and repost it.Hehe.Oh, and what else was I going to say.Um…and I should have my poetry typed up for your reading in a nice collection too.So read that if you see it.Hehe._

_P.P.S. Kudos to whoever guesses what Harry's dreams are about!You get a shout-out if you do!!!!!_


	11. Part 11 (duh)

I am sooo unbelievably sorry. Through a series of most unfortunate events (namely, a C in Algebra & a grounding for lying about having been on fanfiction and having it consequently placed on the list of restricted sites at my school, which will hopefully be remedied by the end of the month) which nearly included the monitor being unplugged from the computer, the posting of this has been postponed. This is horrible. Long, but horrible. Which means you should like it. And you WILL review, as I am miserable because my parents are horrible people and I'm studying all hours of the day for an entrance exam to the high school in 2 weeks.sigh. Stuck with a horrid old fart all Sunday afternoon. So cheer me up. I may never get to read them, but I lied to my parents to post this. So humour me. See how I love you. And the movie depressed me to no end.horrible, that. Must give it a lousy review for school newspaper (for which I would have been copy editor had they not misprinted my C+ as a D+. Actually, Mr. Fairey wouldn't have let me on then either, but I can dream and attribute it to a misprint in the Guidance office rather than my stupidity, right? Hehe). That is on my to-do list, as well as this bloody math diagnostic.grr. I hate maths. And my parents. But I love reviewers. Make my day.please? (Note: This is unedited and the first 10 parts are in for a major rehaul.no exorcist this time 'round, sweeties!) Love you all! Beijos!  
  
This could conceivably be made more difficult, Harry thought, his mind feeling very cluttered. Having determined that Fred and George were gone, he had gone to History of Magic, his first class of the day. He was, miraculously, the first person there. He guessed everyone was still on his or her way to breakfast. He took a seat in the back, not wanting people to stare at him all the time.  
  
"Move, Potter," ordered George. "These seats are ours. No Death Eaters welcome."  
  
"No."  
  
"Look, get up, you stupid son of a bitch-" began Fred, taking a more direct route.  
  
"What did you just call me?"  
  
"A son of a bitch."  
  
Harry got up and pinned the bigger boy against the wall, his fist connecting solidly with his face.  
  
"Potter! Sit down! 15 points from Gryffindor!" reprimanded Binns, floating through the wall.  
  
"Never say that in front of me again," he hissed, sitting back down.  
  
The twins flipped him off when Binns was looking elsewhere. The odds that this was going to be a good day were looking less promising.  
  
Binns droned on and on about goblin rebellions and the patterns of history.  
  
Harry felt his lack of restful sleep catching up with him..his head dropped forward on the desk, his hair falling in the inkwell without him noticing, and he fell asleep.  
  
"POTTER! DETENTION!" For someone with so little body substance, Binns (no apostrophe) certainly could yell. "Report to Filch's office at eight o'clock tonight, sharp!"  
  
He managed to stay awake for the rest of class, although Binns (and again) piled about seven hours of homework on them, but they wouldn't see him for another week, so he would hopefully have time to finish it all. It seemed, so far, that with seventh year, they had more time between classes, and a week between each one, thus, the heavy workload didn't pose a problem because of the fact that they didn't see the same professor more than once in a week.  
  
After what seemed eons to Harry, class was dismissed. He scowled back at Binns.  
  
Flitwick's class wasn't any better. They were practicing the basic principles of Apparition, and attempting to disassemble small objects and put them back together. This would eventually be incorporated with the concept of Portkeys, which they were going to practice making after everyone had successfully completed the task at hand.  
  
Harry, to his great frustration, had only managed to make loud noises and spin around.  
  
"Honestly, Potter! If Dumbledore thinks enough of you to place you in this class, you should be able to at least perform the most elementary spell we're learning this year!"  
  
Fred, George, and the rest of the class snickered.  
  
"You're practically a Squib! You won't make it through your OWLs, much less your NEWTs!!! It's a miracle how you made it into Hogwarts in the first place! Your escaping You-Know-Who was sheer luck."  
  
Harry immediately thought that Flitwick either had connections in international drug traffic, or a severe case of PMS. Flitwick was normally quite a well-tempered person, and very patient. Although he's right about the last one. He stared at the desk blindly, trying to get control of the raging sea of anger within him. Anger at being doubted, and anger at being powerless to do anything about it.  
  
The mocking sniggers soon turned into a full-fledged outbreak of mirthful laughter as a very audible POP caused Harry to look up from the desk. The sight of Flitwick with a mop of purple hair (rather resembling a puppet from Jim Henson's Fraggle Rock) greeted him.  
  
"What? What?" he asked desperately. He grabbed Harry's glasses off his face and adjusted them to get a reflection of himself in the smooth (if somewhat unclean) surface. "POTTER! What is the meaning of this?!?" he bellowed furiously.  
  
"Oops?" suggested Harry.  
  
"You-undo this right now or."  
  
"I can try." He concentrated very hard on the purple and willed it back to normal, but to no avail. There were several comical noises (which included a cow mooing and something that sounded like a whoopee cushion) and Flitwick's hair went from purple to bright silver with streaks of green, to pure green, to orange, to pink, to red, to bright turquoise and to lilac, before finally settling on the vivid violet it had been before. "Er, sorry."  
  
"Detention!" shouted Flitwick. "Tonight! Eight to twelve, with Filch!"  
  
Yes, now I won't be doing multiple detentions.just one communal one.  
  
"Professor, Potter already got a detention with Filch at that time tonight," Alicia volunteered sweetly, waving her hand around.  
  
"Then stay until four!" he barked. "Occasionally, a blind squirrel finds an acorn in the middle of winter! Be that squirrel, Potter! Get lucky!" He was very angry.he had just had a Slytherin class, and had stayed up doing lesson plans all last night.  
  
"You suck, Potter!" shouted Lee Jordan.  
  
Everyone jeered, and insults were flung at him right and left.  
  
"LEAVE ME ALONE!" he shouted, gathering his things and running out. He slammed the door behind him, leaving a stunned silence.  
  
He ran down the hall for some distance, pausing at a painting that he knew from the Marauder's Map to be concealing a room that he hoped few people knew about.  
  
It depicted a naked lady on a horse. "Er, there's a secret passage back there, right?"  
  
"That is correct. Who addresses me?"  
  
"My name is Harry Potter."  
  
"I am.the original, mind you, Lady Godiva."  
  
"Oh. Lady.will you let me pass?"  
  
"You seem pleasant enough.why not?" She swung open.  
  
"Thank you." He climbed in and she closed.  
  
He slumped tiredly against the wall. This wasn't going well at all. (It rhymes! Hehe.) Fred and George had seemingly turned the rest of the year against him. Binns and Flitwick hated him, as well. And the dreams.His eyes closed again, and he drifted off.  
  
More knives. More ropes. Stones. Holes, deep in the ground. Lions. A spear to defend himself from the beast. A spear digging into his flesh. Arrows piercing his skin. Animals clawing him.  
  
He awoke with a start, sweating and shaking. He looked around, ensuring that nothing posed a threat, then he looked down at his hands, which were aching. They were covered in blood.  
  
But.I wasn't in their world.how.?  
  
This couldn't be good.  
  
He left the room and went to Dumbledore's office, as he'd been thinking of doing.  
  
"Enter. Harry, shouldn't you be in class?"  
  
He shrugged.  
  
"Go."  
  
"Sir.I had some dreams."  
  
"About Voldemort?"  
  
"I don't think so. And it didn't look like their world, either. There were lots of different places."  
  
"And what took place in these dreams?"  
  
"I'm not sure, but there was lots of blood involved." He rolled up his sleeve and displayed the arm with which he had attempted to fend off the lion after the spear had been smashed.  
  
"Weapons?"  
  
"Um.knives and stuff."  
  
Dumbledore sighed distractedly. "You're coming to me for answers?"  
  
"That would seem to be the case," he said, nodding.  
  
"Any theories on your own?"  
  
"Other than the fact that it probably has something to do with Necromancy? No."  
  
"Nick would have said something if it was a usual side effect."  
  
"Maybe it's not?" he suggested, rather sarcastically.  
  
Dumbledore frowned. "Obviously. Which means, we have a bit of research to do."  
  
He stood and walked to the bookcase, which wrapped around much of the study.  
  
An Illustrated History of Weaponry. He took it down and placed it in front of Harry. "Try to identify what you've seen in your dreams from looking at that.I need a timeframe."  
  
Harry started from the beginning, and only recognized them for about a page or two before they were unfamiliar. He didn't disrupt Dumbledore, however, he seemed very focused on large volumes, which he was skimming and then throwing aside.  
  
Greek.Celtic.Norse.Middle Eastern.African.South American.Japanese.Chinese.Korean.Native American.Damn it. He threw aside another book of mythologies.  
  
"Harry, do heaven and hell exist?"  
  
"I don't think so.it all seemed cold .no fiery furnaces as of yet." He shrugged. "I don't think I've seen much, though."  
  
"Damn it!" he said aloud.  
  
Harry looked at him, stunned. He'd never heard the Headmaster curse.  
  
"Damn it!" he repeated. "Yes, I swear, too, Harry." He threw them all to the floor in a heap, very frustrated. "There HAS to be something in one of these, but they all have distinguishers for the sinners and the holy.except the Norse, with their Hall."  
  
"Yeah, and then they all get killed again in the end. Have you tried some different writings? Perhaps more reliable sources than the oracle at Delphi?"  
  
"But Gryffindor didn't write dealing with the land of the dead." he said, looking at Harry piercingly.  
  
He raised his eyebrows. "Are you quite certain?"  
  
"Harry."  
  
"Because I somehow don't think you are," he said, meeting his gaze with an equally, if not more so, penetrating one.  
  
"Fine!" he said, standing up. "Here. All his works. Where does it deal with the world of the dead?"  
  
"Welsh, right?"  
  
"I wasn't aware you could read it."  
  
"Neither was I. Okay, look.'The purest of soul shall guard the gates of death and return all pleasant memories to the world. The darkest shall absorb hate and evil to lighten the rest and allow them to rest in peace as they seek to corrupt the powerful through the influence of Seers and dreams.when the post is ready to be assumed by another party, the horrific experiences will be transferred to the new guardian.'"  
  
"Nicolas did say something about that!" said Dumbledore triumphantly.  
  
"Of course he did. He is the Light guardian.for now."  
  
"Yes, he's holding it for me," he said laughingly.  
  
"He's rather tired of it.wants to see his wife."  
  
"All right. So the Dark one is-"  
  
"Slytherin?" Dumbledore guessed, at the same time that Harry said,  
  
"Grindlewald?"  
  
"I don't know, Harry."  
  
"But.he spoke to me.controlled the others." his face furrowed with ostensible concentration as he tried to figure this out.  
  
"And what did the others do?"  
  
"They tried to kill me, he stopped them."  
  
"Why?"  
  
"I don't know."  
  
"Could he be getting tired of being the guardian?"  
  
"Not unlikely."  
  
"Grindlewald mentored Thomas Riddle. I wouldn't be surprised if Lord Voldemort received the position."  
  
"If he ever dies."  
  
"He will, it's just a matter of time. Now.wouldn't it make sense that Grindlewald would be interested in protecting both his apprentice and himself?"  
  
"Yes?"  
  
"Perhaps he's attempting to transfer some of his memories to you."  
  
"He wants me to be the guardian?" That would be hell.  
  
"What weapons were in your dreams?"  
  
"The ones on the first page."  
  
"Primitive.very interesting. So it would seem that he's starting from the beginning."  
  
"Wait. I'm going to have to see every death?"  
  
"It would seem to be the case."  
  
"But-I can't-"  
  
"You must. Harry, you've got a ways ahead of you. It's not going to be easy."  
  
That was hard to figure out, he thought sarcastically. Might as well kill myself now and get it over with. To his great surprise, he didn't hear a reply from the headmaster to this last thought.  
  
Dumbledore sighed again, apparently wrapped up in his own thoughts. "You're due back in classes. Try not to fall asleep."  
  
He nodded.  
  
"And any dreams about Voldemort."  
  
"Yeah." He left.  
  
"You did WHAT?" exclaimed Sirius.  
  
"You know as well as I do there's no chance of coming off better in this war without him!"  
  
"He's fifteen!" he shouted. "He's still a boy! You can't drop this on him like that!"  
  
"He seems fine with it."  
  
"Looks can be deceiving!"  
  
"I'm of the opinion that Harry is a very capable young man."  
  
"That's what you always say, to everyone! Yes, I think he's responsible, yes, he can probably handle the work, but you can't expect him to fight Voldemort!"  
  
"I don't expect him to fight him. That decision will be his own."  
  
"That shouldn't even be an option! He shouldn't know about any of this until he's at least seventeen-old enough to think about these things and their consequences!"  
  
"The sooner we prepare him, the better."  
  
"So you're going to try to put everything in his head in the hope that he'll be able to cope with it like an adult!"  
  
"It can't hurt."  
  
"He is NOT an adult! We should NOT treat him as such! He is a CHILD! He can NOT fight Voldemort! You can NOT try to make him grow faster than he's ready for! A child should not combat the most powerful wizard since Slytherin himself!"  
  
"Harry is no ordinary child."  
  
"You don't think I know that? He's my fucking GODSON, for God's sakes. Of course he's extraordinary!"  
  
"Not merely in the parental sense, Sirius."  
  
"I vehemently object to Harry having any part in this!"  
  
"You'd rather have them twist his abilities to their own use and have him turn because he can't use them to resist?"  
  
"I'd rather neither he nor them know about these at all!"  
  
"He's ready, or they wouldn't have come to him. I've been watching, Sirius, and it is time."  
  
"NO! It CAN'T be! He's not ready!"  
  
"He isn't?"  
  
"Fine! I'm not ready! I won't let him have any part in it!"  
  
"You, my friend, are a felon and powerless to stop it."  
  
"This is blackmail!"  
  
"Legally, you have no part in this."  
  
"But-you have NO right to do this."  
  
"Quite the contrary. I think you forget that Lily and James placed any decisions regarding his care in my hands."  
  
"But-" he stuttered. "You can't use him as a weapon.he's a person too."  
  
"And I will ask him if he's certain he wants to do this, as my thoughts would be geared more towards his training as opposed to his well- being, which is central right now.that will still be a concern, however, I'll have to explain to him that the training is strictly business." He sighed. "He'll have to go to you or Remus for advice. But I can't train him.I don't know nearly enough about it."  
  
"Good."  
  
"No, it's not. Watch him, Sirius. See how he acts. If anything's amiss, I need to know."  
  
"Why?"  
  
"Just do it."  
  
  
  
Potions. Just perfect. He was still scowling when he walked into the dungeons.  
  
"You're late."  
  
"What of it?" he challenged, taking an empty table in the back of the room.  
  
"Don't give me lip, Potter. Fifty points from Gryffindor and a detention. Tonight. Eight to twelve."  
  
"He has one already!" chorused the class.  
  
"Twelve to four."  
  
"Then too!"  
  
"Four to eight. AM."  
  
Sniggers from both Gryffindor and Slytherin. Of course, the seventh years were paired with Slytherin. It seemed everyone hated him.  
  
"Now, since you're so clever you belong with seventh years-what is the active ingredient in the-"  
  
He said the name of something Harry couldn't pronounce, much less answer the question preceding it.  
  
"What is the point of asking me questions I don't know the answer to?" said Harry, very slowly. He was tired of this.  
  
"The point, Potter, is to prove just how ignorant you are. You thought you could waltz in here and skyrocket to the top of the class. May I remind you of the fact that you were at rock bottom in your previous timeslot-excluding Longbottom?"  
  
"You just did."  
  
"That's another ten points."  
  
"Taking points away from my house isn't going to stop me. I've put up with your crap long enough, and, quite personally, I couldn't care less if you want to penalize them. They all hate me anyway, so what difference does it make to me? I don't want to be associated with any of the people in this room. Their negative sentiments are returned wholeheartedly."  
  
"So, Potter, you've turned your back on everyone now?"  
  
"What makes you think I'd tell you that?"  
  
"The fact that I'm your professor."  
  
"Well, half the seventh year is in the room. And even if I did choose to disclose that information to you, I wouldn't do it in this setting."  
  
"Veritaserum, Potter."  
  
"Blatant abuse of professorship, Snape."  
  
"Professor Snape."  
  
"Slimy bastard."  
  
There were several laughs at that.  
  
"Quiet! One hundred points from Gryffindor!"  
  
There was a stunned silence. That had to be a record number of points lost-except for in Harry's first year, but that had been fifty points from each student involved, hardly out of the ordinary.  
  
Snape then did something he'd never done before. "Class dismissed. If I hear any cheering, it's all of you back here for detention tomorrow night. Potter, you're staying with me until I see fit to release you."  
  
People shot him several looks on their way out-which he interpreted as meaning things as varied as thanks a lot for those points, Potter, to YES!! We're out early! Thanks! to stupid ass, what were you thinking, cussing out Snape to several other much nastier things from the Weasley twins.  
  
"Answer my question, Potter. Are you turning on your housemates?"  
  
"When the world turns it's back on you, you turn your back on the world." Damn, where did that come from?  
  
"Coward."  
  
"Hakuna Matata." Stop! Whoever the hell you are, stop it!  
  
"Come again?"  
  
"It means no worries.shit."  
  
"I have no patience for your games. What exactly is the cause of the rift between you and your friends?"  
  
"I have no friends."  
  
"So what's Black?"  
  
"None of your business."  
  
"Quite the contrary. It is my business."  
  
"So you can do what? Take it straight to Voldemort?"  
  
"Lord Voldemort," he said softly, "is not my master. I am my own master.I owe debts to several people on the Light side, and I fully intend to pay them. I have devoted my life to the extermination of Darkness, Harry.what we say here stays here, understood?"  
  
"You're not running to Dumbledore telling him what a warped psycho I am?"  
  
"You're not running to Voldemort telling him I'm a rat."  
  
"No."  
  
"Good. I have no intention of telling Professor Dumbledore anything you may disclose to me, if you wish to keep it private. Obviously, that doesn't apply to anything that might be happening as a result of the Necromancy-"  
  
"You know?"  
  
"Dumbledore happens to trust me," he snapped.  
  
Harry muttered something about fruitcakes fucking their mother's bananas, which Snape thought didn't belong in a PG13 fanfic. He pretended not to have heard it.  
  
"Let's get something straight. I don't like you. I think you're an arrogant, insolent fool-"  
  
"Good. I feel the same."  
  
"But the Headmaster has made it crystal clear that we're going to have to work together eventually, like it or not."  
  
"Not."  
  
"My thoughts exactly. But, for the greater good, I would save your miserable, worthless, life-no matter what my personal thoughts were."  
  
"When you say for the greater good you mean-"  
  
"On Dumbledore's orders. And let me impress on you the importance of following his every command-"  
  
"You will kindly remember, sir, that I am not a puppet."  
  
"But you are underage, and your academic career as well as any job prospects hinge on Professor Dumbledore's decisions concerning you-"  
  
"One of those cost me the fine motor skills in my left arm," he snapped.  
  
"Meaning?"  
  
"Never mind."  
  
"Tell me, Potter."  
  
"Not a chance."  
  
Snape grabbed his arm and rolled up his sleeve, getting his first good glimpse at Potter's arm. "Jesus Christ," he whispered, seeing the twisted limb and scarred flesh. "What happened?"  
  
Harry struggled to jerk his arm out of Snape's grasp, but failed miserably, as he had trouble working it below the elbow.  
  
"Who did this to you?"  
  
"None of your business."  
  
"Quite the contrary. I'm going to ask you again. Who did this to you?"  
  
"I'm going to answer you again. None of your business."  
  
"Your uncle."  
  
"Whatever would make you say that?."  
  
"This is serious, Potter."  
  
"If anyone honestly thought that, they could have done something about it."  
  
"I'm about to. We're going to the Headmaster."  
  
"NO! Anywhere but there!"  
  
"I thought you were his favorite student."  
  
"I don't know! I don't care! I do not want to go to the Headmaster's office!"  
  
"I didn't ask you what you wanted."  
  
"Unless you want Filch to be scraping you off the floor, I suggest you let go of my arm," he hissed.  
  
"Do you seriously plan to make good on that threat?" he sneered.  
  
"Quite."  
  
"You're bluffing."  
  
"Am I?"  
  
Snape released his hold on the boy as a shock, uncomfortable, but not so much as to hurt him, worked its way up his arm. "What in the world."  
  
"There's more where that came from. Next time there will be pain."  
  
"What magic is this, Potter?"  
  
"It's power.I don't understand it. I don't know where it came from. But I can use it."  
  
"Who taught you?"  
  
"I don't know. Why am I telling you this?"  
  
"Because whether you know it or not, you want.and need, help," said Snape, in as gently a voice as Harry had ever heard him use.  
  
"What do you care?"  
  
"I couldn't care less, personally. But to be a teacher, I had to go through a few child psychology courses. It was hell. I loathe children.self-centered wankers."  
  
"Then why are you a teacher?"  
  
"Because I hate children!" he exclaimed. "Silence!" He took several deep breaths, as though this was paining him immensely. "There were several lectures on abuse and children with.traumatic pasts."  
  
"So they made you sit for hours telling you how to deal with kids with fucked up psyches? That's unreasonably harsh, even for you."  
  
"Language, Potter. I am not Dumbledore of Lupin. Thirty points from Gryffindor. And yes, in answer to your question."  
  
"How many other screwed up ones have you had?"  
  
"Too many."  
  
"Number?"  
  
"None. But I've had an unusually high amount of hyperactive buggers." He sighed. "Perhaps you should go. Before I start subtracting points from Gryffindor for your existence. Write a three foot long essay on why your behavior in class deserves much more punishment than a three foot long essay."  
  
"What if it's so convincing you give it to me?"  
  
"Leave."  
  
Harry gathered his things, smiling to himself, and left the dungeons. Perhaps Snape wasn't so bad.  
  
Snape called to him as he reached the door. "Potter.if you could please not mention our conversation to anyone."  
  
"Of course not. Er, sir, if you would.um, not tell anyone about.er.my arm and.stuff."  
  
"There was a lot of stress about keeping a student's trust. Has this- abuse-happened lately?"  
  
"No."  
  
"Excellent. If it should, however, I must ask you to inform a professor."  
  
He looked at Snape for a moment, and then nodded. "I didn't say anything about trusting you."  
  
"Nonetheless, I invaded your 'personal space'," he rolled his eyes, "and, seeing as you didn't divulge any specific information."  
  
"Thank you," he muttered, momentarily disgusted at the thought of saying those two words to Snape in the same sentence.  
  
To this, Snape said nothing, but watched as Harry left his classroom.  
  
He sighed and walked to his desk, sat down, and began to grade papers.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
Harry had been realizing that he didn't know that much about Necromancy in itself. Having finished the work that was due the next day (fairly late at night; Dumbledore had apparently pulled a few strings, gotten his detentions transferred to Lupin, and busied Filch with other tasks) he sneaked out of the dormitory to see if he could find anything in the library. He pulled on his Invisibility Cloak (although his roommates had tried to sit up with him, he'd played some mind games with them to dissuade them from that course of action.and convinced them out loud that he had loads of homework, which he did, so as not to attract too much suspicion at the fact that Neville, Seamus, and Dean had identical thought processes, which they would undoubtedly compare before going to sleep) silently and crept down the spiral staircases, dreading finding anyone there.  
  
He walked through the library, squinting, as the only light was that of the moon. He tripped over a chair, falling onto a table. Gryffindor: A Brief Biography. What's this doing here? It wasn't like Madam Pince to leave books out of their place. It was opened to the various prophecies he had made, and there were bits of parchment scattered everywhere, covered with messy notes about his life. He read one to himself. 'The Heir is to come when.oh, this is bullshit! Why does Binns assign such stupid topics?' This person is impatient. Like that wasn't obvious. He turned it to the index. While the subjects were grouped under letter names, they weren't exactly in alphabetical order.Nude photographs of, napping habits, nationality, natural hair color, nyctalopia of, Necromancy: hidden secrets of, known facts of, sources on this topic. He was trying in vain to make out the miniscule page numbers beneath when something tapped him on his shoulder. His muscles tensed involuntarily, and his breathing stopped momentarily. He forced himself to inhale normally, plunged his right hand into his pocket and wrapped it around his wand, pushing the chair back simultaneously into what he hoped was the attacker's pelvic region; not remembering the fact that he could have easily wormed out of the intruder's grasp and escaped, being still under the cloak.  
  
Whoever it was behind him gasped and bent over, a crippling pain evidently between his/her legs. Harry couldn't tell what sex his attacker was, as his or her long black hair was in their eyes.  
  
"Fuck it, Harry, do you have any fucking idea how much it fucking hurts to get hit in that fucking place twice in the space of five fucking minutes?" The voice was Sirius', and he relaxed immensely.  
  
"What'd you do, walk into the blunt end of the suit of armor's sword?"  
  
"No, although that hurts a hell of a lot, too. If you must know, it involved taking a wrong turn into a Quidditch supply closet.apparently, the fucking Beater's sticks are motion sensitive and know either by intuition or design to go-" he groaned "for my balls," he complained, staring at a spot some way to the left of Harry. "Take off the Cloak, I hate talking to things I can't see, makes me feel silly."  
  
Harry didn't answer.  
  
"See? You've probably left. And I'll be here raving like a lunatic until morning."  
  
"Sirius, to the majority of the wizarding community, you are a lunatic," he said, pulling off the cloak.  
  
"True."  
  
"Why are you here?"  
  
"I might ask you the same question."  
  
"You might, but I asked you first."  
  
"I'm your elder."  
  
"That's a really lame excuse."  
  
"I know. What brings you here?"  
  
"Homework." Not really, but close enough.  
  
"Fifth year boys aren't supposed to be up past two until the month before the OWLs."  
  
"You forget, I have to take NEWTS as well."  
  
"Oh, yeah. I meant to talk to you about that."  
  
"Why?"  
  
"It's-weird-I mean.I mean it's not right. This is your last chance to be a kid, Harry. Hogwarts. You can have three years of enjoying yourself or you can just throw it out to take advanced courses. Look, as high as my opinions of you are, you do not belong in a class with people two years older than you. When you're older, you'll look back and think about all of what you missed out on. Part of the reason parents want to send their kids here is for the camaraderie, and you won't get the same bond with people that you haven't shared a bedroom and worries with. Seventeen year olds think about very different things than fifteen year olds. Graduation, jobs.I don't care how ready you might be for it, I don't want you in that class."  
  
"But Professor Dumbledore said it would get me ready for Voldemort-"  
  
"Dumbledore shouldn't be putting you in the thick of things like he is! He should spend more time protecting you than preparing you!"  
  
"Sirius, he can and will find ways to get around whatever obstacles Dumbledore might put up. It's probably more practical to just kill me.it would save a lot of lives, especially if he turned me-"  
  
"Don't even think that," said Sirius sharply. "We have no way of defeating him if you die."  
  
"You just said I shouldn't the thick of it!"  
  
"I meant that Dumbledore shouldn't put pressure on you to prepare for the conflict-"  
  
"You don't know what you mean."  
  
"One could say that, yes. I just can't stand having you get hurt.and I can't do anything about it."  
  
"I'm not too thrilled about it, either."  
  
"I promised James I'd take care of you."  
  
"You couldn't be doing any better."  
  
"That's not true."  
  
"I wouldn't know." He shrugged. "Think what you want, but you are really.um.nice?"  
  
"You're worse at this than I am."  
  
"At what?"  
  
"Never mind." He sighed. "Do you really want to do this?"  
  
"What?"  
  
"Stop Voldemort."  
  
"Yes-of course."  
  
"And that's fine. But you're still a child. You have a life to live. You don't have to spend it fighting evil."  
  
"But-"  
  
"I know we can't do it without you. Still. I know you haven't had much time to enjoy yourself, and I'm sorry. You shouldn't have had to go through last year and.I'm sorry I wasn't in a position to help you more. Hogwarts is one of the best experiences anyone can have, and I think you should think about this before you pass up two years at one of the very few places that you can have fun."  
  
"Fun? I think not. I don't want to be here, Sirius."  
  
"Why?"  
  
He shrugged. "No friends. Boring classes."  
  
"Boring?"  
  
"Exceedingly."  
  
"Explain?"  
  
"They're a bunch of stuffy fruitcakes trying to cram all their crap up your ass. Except for Remus."  
  
"That's a really nice way of putting it."  
  
"I like to think so. Really, though, I don't want to stay here any longer than I have to. I mean, it's been great, but-now that Ron's gone.and."  
  
"I understand," said Sirius softly. "But you're not going to be comfortable there."  
  
"I'd noticed." He sighed. "Please don't make me stay."  
  
"You realize that when you leave, Albus can't protect you anymore, and you won't be able to write to me any time.you'll be all alone."  
  
"He said he wanted to send me to the Academy."  
  
"Boot camp," Sirius said darkly. "Don't go there. They're all over eighteen, and full of themselves. You're supposed to be combating the forces of darkness and here're all these people from Slytherin."  
  
"You went there?"  
  
"I did, actually. Me and your dad."  
  
"What about my mum?"  
  
"Women aren't Aurors. They do office work."  
  
"What chauvinist pigs!"  
  
"Tell me about it." He sighed. "It's like the Muggle army. They can deliver supplies and messages and whatnot but they won't let them into the actual campaigns."  
  
"Why?"  
  
"Rape, mainly."  
  
"Isn't there male rape, too?" He thought back to Uncle Vernon's 'sessions' with him in the cupboard.  
  
"Yeah." said Sirius. "It's all horrible. But they think there's more of a chance of it happening with women. There is a training Academy, should a Dark witch come into power."  
  
"Haven't there been some?"  
  
"Not many after Morgan Le Fay, and there were no Aurors then. They have a Special Services division for that.should the witch only accept females.only way to get spies in the circle."  
  
"Oh."  
  
"They have a separate Academy, last I checked. Much smaller.less women interested in that career.supposedly keeps the men focused, but it backfires.they crave sex so much they have prostitutes running all over the place."  
  
"That's disgusting."  
  
"Yeah, and odds are that your roommate's had sex with at least five other guys. So if you step in any funny-looking puddles, they're probably lubricant. You'll run into guys shagging all over the place. Oh, and there'll probably be some pornography photographer hanging around."  
  
"The administration doesn't do anything about this?"  
  
"They don't want to know what that thing is on the floor.don't bother testing it.girls running around are fairly normal.perhaps sisters or girlfriends visiting."  
  
"They have sex with their SISTERS?" he said, appalled.  
  
"No, the whores pretend to be relatives. Pay attention."  
  
"Oh, sorry. And the photographers?"  
  
"Inspectors from the Ministry, verifying everything is shipshape."  
  
"In other words, anyone gets in."  
  
"No, there are wards.but.you know how it is.lots of ways of sneaking in. Especially if the students let invite you."  
  
"That is so gross."  
  
"I know," he said cheerfully. "Do you want to go?"  
  
"Not really. Why did you have to tell me this?"  
  
"So you realize that being on your own through that isn't exactly paradise. It's pretty cool to make your own decisions, but the people there do do drugs, and you are going to get pressure to do things you might not want to-"  
  
"Who said I didn't want to do sex and drugs?"  
  
"Sex and drugs are fun."  
  
Harry looked at him.  
  
"What? It's true. I've made some pretty bad choices in my life.ended up in a Muggle prison once, with an overly high bail."  
  
"Remus tried to do something like this with me."  
  
"It didn't work, did it?"  
  
"No."  
  
"I figured as much. He was too embarrassed to go into specifics. He's far too touchy-feely." Sirius laughed. "He's great, though."  
  
"So why are you being so-honest?"  
  
"Well, I'm going to have to have a lot of these with you, seeing you didn't get lectures at the dinner table about the dangers of the opposite sex."  
  
"I had Sex Ed," he volunteered.  
  
"That doesn't count as being drummed into your head."  
  
"I know about female hygienic products!"  
  
Sirius groaned. "'There's a slim pad for light flow days, a maxi pad for medium flow days, and a SUPER MAXI pad for heavy flow days! Some girls prefer to use one product, while others prefer to use separate depending on their needs! Some even wear a slim pad and a tampon for heavy flow! A tampon is inserted into the vagina by means of a plastic applicator tip-' explains the bumbling, incompetent mother, trying to play 'I can identify with my teenage daughter!' while pulling out ten boxes of hygienic products."  
  
"They made you watch that too?"  
  
"Who am I now?" He sang the first few notes of the opening song to the 'gay kids in Lycra taking steroids' series.  
  
"No!" Harry put his hands over his ears in mock horror.  
  
"Yes.unfortunately, I suffered the same fate." He laughed. "But I'm not here to relive those days. The fact is, I am a stand in parent, and as ill-suited as I am for this, we are going to have several long talks. So I might as well try to be honest, right? Unless you'd prefer me to keep everything from you and let you try to figure it out on your own."  
  
"But Dumbledore kept things from me."  
  
"Albus doesn't have the same relationship I want to with you."  
  
"What's that?"  
  
"The whole father/son thing."  
  
"You want that?"  
  
"Yes! I thought you knew that."  
  
He was silent.  
  
"Er, Harry, actually, I wasn't only looking for you to see what you were doing here."  
  
"Okay."  
  
"Um, you remember, how this summer, I told you that Albus might be sending me into the field?"  
  
"Yes."  
  
"I'm leaving in about half an hour. I had to see you before I went."  
  
"You're leaving? Now?"  
  
"Yeah."  
  
"Why didn't you tell me sooner?"  
  
"I just found out today, and you were in class and.there wasn't a good time." He could tell his godson was crushed, and a pang of regret surged through his chest. "This is really important. If it weren't, I wouldn't be doing it. Besides, isn't the best part of boarding school getting away from your parents?"  
  
"If I had parents, I wouldn't want to get away from them," said Harry softly.  
  
"You have me."  
  
"I don't want to be away from you."  
  
"I don't want to, either.but somehow, we got fucked.we got a raw deal, Harry."  
  
"Some people wouldn't say that. It could be worse, right?"  
  
"Things can always be worse, unfortunately."  
  
"I'd bet loads of people would be thrilled to have fucked up powers thrown on them, right?"  
  
"Yeah.why else would Voldemort be trying to recruit you?" Sirius stopped, realizing what he'd just said.  
  
"Voldemort wants to recruit me?" he asked, his voice deathly quiet.  
  
"Harry-"  
  
"He wants to RECRUIT me?" He stood up, the book on his lap dropping to the floor. "What the hell am I?"  
  
"You're a fifteen year old boy, and my godson."  
  
"No! I'm not! I'm some freak! Some weapon that everyone's fighting over!" he said angrily.  
  
"You're not a weapon.you're a person."  
  
"Right, like Voldemort thinks that! I'm some stupid toy to him, and probably Dumbledore too!"  
  
"Harry, listen to yourself!"  
  
"What am I listening to? Something I should have figured out a long time ago! I never mattered there! Why should it be any different here? The Dursley's don't think I'm a person, or they wouldn't have done all that to me! I was Dudley's punching bag, and Aunt Petunia's housecleaner, and Uncle Vernon's whore!"  
  
"You were your uncle's what?" said Sirius, desperately wanting not to have heard what he thought he had.  
  
"Nothing," he said, looking away.  
  
Sirius grabbed his chin and forced him to look him in the eyes. "What did you say about your uncle?"  
  
"What's it to you?" he challenged.  
  
"Everything."  
  
"It's not important!"  
  
"Yes, it is. Did he ever beat you?"  
  
"Yes, he did."  
  
"Frequently?"  
  
"There's no use digging up things that are dead and buried."  
  
"Did he beat you often?"  
  
"Yes."  
  
"How often?"  
  
"At least once a week."  
  
"Does he still do this?"  
  
"Not as much.after I turned eleven."  
  
"Did he ever sexually assault you?"  
  
"What kind of a question is that?"  
  
"A valid one. Did your uncle ever sexually assault you?"  
  
"What do you mean?"  
  
"You know damn well what I mean. Did he ever shove his dick up your ass?"  
  
Harry looked at him fearfully, and Sirius released him. "I'm sorry," he said softly. "I didn't mean to force you to do anything."  
  
"I know."  
  
"Did he, though?"  
  
Harry's mouth opened, and he looked like he was about to say something, but then he closed it. Then he opened it again. He looked rather like a fish. "I really don't want to talk about it," he said at last.  
  
"I need to know."  
  
He shook his head. "I'm sorry."  
  
"He did."  
  
He bit his lip and nodded.  
  
"How old were you?"  
  
"Don't remember."  
  
"Before or after you were eleven?"  
  
"Before," he whispered, trying not to cry as the memories came back.  
  
"More than once?"  
  
He nodded again, looking away in shame.  
  
Sirius closed his eyes in horror. How could anyone have done that to a mere child? An image of Harry..small.helpless.beaten.starving.naked.came to his mind. He was going to be sick. "Go to bed," he ordered, his voice oddly husky.  
  
Harry didn't protest, to his great relief.  
  
And he was sick.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
Harry punched his pillow in frustration. How had both Snape and Sirius managed to get it out of him? He'd sworn, sworn as soon as he understood what that meant, that he would never tell anyone.anyone, no matter who they might be. He closed his eyes, willing the tears not to fall. Am I really that desperate for help?  
  
Took you this long to figure it out? I can't believe you didn't tell me!  
  
"Who's there?"  
  
Harry, it's me! Ron!  
  
RON? But you're-  
  
Dead. Yeah. Listen, Harry-Mum has my ashes, at home-but she can't keep them there.I need a proper burial.  
  
But you can't-he ate you.  
  
I know. But my head is still together. I can sense it.  
  
What do you need your head for?  
  
Whatever exists has to be together, otherwise my soul is stuck there. You're the Necromancer, you have to do it.  
  
Do what?  
  
Get it together! Avada Kedavra does more than just kill you.it makes your soul leave.but you see, if they cut you up before they do it.my soul went all these different places.it's really hard to explain, but.  
  
No one told me any of this!  
  
It's never happened. Avada Kedavra is supposed to be the actual killer, and never has anyone been cut up and not bled to death before they cast it.  
  
What?  
  
Look, Harry, I know this must be really weird for you, but I'm more scared than you are.I dunno where I am, and there's nothing, Harry, nothing.I'm scared to death, but I am dead, so it doesn't really matter.  
  
Where are you? Where am I?  
  
I dunno where you are, but I'm somewhere in-between worlds.I'm not complete. Weird stuff, Harry. I won't be able to talk to you until you find my body.this is my one shot at getting you to find it for me. Please do.  
  
I will, but Ron-  
  
I have to go. Don't forget me, Harry.  
  
RON!!!  
  
He didn't get a reply. "Come back." he said softly, his voice sounding pitiful to his own ears. "Ron.come back." But nothing. He took off his glasses, buried his face in his pillow, and started to sob.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
Part 12 sooner! 


	12. Part 12 (13 under new penname, eventuall...

1 Please note that this will be updated under the penname of Magenta the Muppet from this point onwards. I encourage you to review the reincarnation of this story, (in other words, intensive editing) under that penname as well. The files in this story will eventually become placeholders for the 290 gorgeous reviews I have. I do hope you'll all get my total at my new penname up to that. But in the meantime, enjoy the story. Sorry if it's sloppy, didn't send to betas.  
  
2 Part 12  
  
Neville shook him awake the next morning. "Harry, wake up!"  
  
He gasped as Neville touched his very tender arm, which was still aching after last night's bout of dreams.  
  
Neville gasped at the same time, as his fingers came away slick with blood. "What's this?"  
  
"Blood," he said simply.  
  
"Why-"  
  
"It's not important." He curtly pushed Neville away and proceeded to dress hastily.  
  
"But you're covered all over! What happened?"  
  
"Nothing."  
  
"Something had to have happened."  
  
"Yeah, something did happen," he said dismissively.  
  
"What sort of something?"  
  
"That's none of your business."  
  
"Harry-"  
  
"Drop it, Neville."  
  
"Quidditch trials tonight."  
  
"That so?"  
  
"First time since we've been here."  
  
"Yeah."  
  
"You going?"  
  
"Too much schoolwork."  
  
"It never stopped you before."  
  
"Quidditch isn't that important." He tried to sound offhand, but his disappointment at not being able to continue came through.  
  
"I thought you loved it."  
  
"I did."  
  
"So why are you stopping?"  
  
"Because I don't anymore."  
  
"Why?"  
  
"I've lost interest."  
  
"Liar. You've never watched yourself fly, have you?"  
  
"No."  
  
"When you're in the air, you look incredibly complete. It's like some people do when they're together. Like lovers."  
  
"I am NOT in love with my broom."  
  
"I didn't say that."  
  
"Yes, you did."  
  
"Did not."  
  
"Did too…oh, never mind. So, what do you know about lovers, Neville?"  
  
Neville blushed. Why did I have to say anything? "Um, Ginny…yeah… Ginny…" No, he can't have read Percy's letters! I thought I hid them well enough…well, I do forget everything else…but WHY something this important?!?  
  
Harry smiled to himself. All his roommates had been following him rather closely. He suspected a teacher having told them to look out for him…perhaps he would listen more closely to their thoughts, and see if his theory was correct. And if he worded his sentences carefully, then they'd wonder what they were letting slip about their secrets, and leave him the hell alone. "I thought you and Ginny broke up after the Yule Ball…but you seem to get a lot of owls, Neville. That barn owl seems to be here at least once a week. You're really lucky to have such a nice grandmother…"  
  
"Gran? Oh no…you must have it confused with someone else's…Gran has a screech owl…" Oops. Neville often made slip-ups of this sort, much to his dismay.  
  
"No, I don't believe I do. I mean, it obviously comes to you…that's about when you blush and drop it into your porridge." He smiled angelically. He knew this was atypical behavior coming from him, and he supposed it was some devious, conniving bastard talking through him. But Neville's reaction was just what he'd anticipated-bright red, from ears to collar. "So, who is she?"  
  
"No…no-one," he stuttered.  
  
"Neville, you know you can tell me."  
  
"Yes-but…" He looked into Harry's eyes and faltered. His brow furrowed, and he looked on the verge of tears. "He's not a girl."  
  
"You're gay?"  
  
"Bi, actually."  
  
"What makes you think I'd have a problem with that?" he asked, not bothering to hide his confusion.  
  
"Well, I mean, you're Harry Potter…the one with all the morals and stuff."  
  
He laughed in spite of himself at the absurdity of this statement. "I dunno if I'm gay or bi or anything like that. I've never had feelings for anyone. I mean, Cho, obviously-"  
  
"Um, not so obvious."  
  
"But that was purely because she has a gorgeous body," he finished. "Otherwise…I mean, I suppose if I did love someone like that, it wouldn't really matter who or what they were on the outside, right?"  
  
"Yeah, I mean, that's how I feel about Percy…"  
  
"Percy?"  
  
Oops. Neville cringed visibly.  
  
"You're with Percy?" Harry made himself sound surprise, even though the shock had come a few moments before and had already subsided.  
  
"Yes, I am."  
  
"So I look at my Firebolt the way you look at him?"  
  
"Yeah, but I like his broomstick more-"  
  
Harry laughed. He couldn't recall ever having such an entertaining conversation with Neville. After a moment, Neville grinned too. "So you don't have a problem with my being bi?"  
  
"Not at all. It's entirely your business who you fuck."  
  
"Glad you feel that way."  
  
"What, you thought I was a homophobe?"  
  
"You always struck me as a very straight person."  
  
"Oh? Is there a way to tell?"  
  
"Nah."  
  
"Okay then. But we've probably missed breakfast."  
  
"Probably. So what class've you got?"  
  
"I don't know." He rooted around in a drawer of his nightstand for his schedule. He had a free period, which meant…"Lupin."  
  
"I thought it was a planning period."  
  
"He doesn't have those anymore."  
  
"Really?"  
  
"No…um, I have to go."  
  
"Well, I'm free – we've all gotten invites to sit in on seventh year classes, to, you know, see what sort of thing to study for, so I'll just come along." Neville reached for a notebook.  
  
"Who told you to follow me around? Someone did – you didn't all spontaneously decide to memorize my schedule…was it McGonagall again? I'll kill her-"  
  
"I don't have your schedule memorized," said Neville hastily, "and neither does anyone else."  
  
"Then why are you consistently popping up outside my lessons?! It's really bloody annoying!"  
  
"Coincidence? We'd better get going, or you'll be late."  
  
"We're not going anywhere. I am going to Professor Lupin's office, and you are going to sit tight with Dean and Seamus!" he said cheerily, thrusting his wand deeper in his pocket and turning towards the door.  
  
"No, Harry," said Neville in a very un-Neville like voice, which caused him to turn around. "You're going to let us all in on just where you've been going every night."  
  
"That's right, Harry," said Dean and Seamus in unison, who pushed him into the center of the room.  
  
"Look, can we do this later? I really need to get to Lupin's office- "  
  
Dean held out a time-turner. "Ever seen one of these, Harry? We'll just…send you back when the time comes…and no-one need ever know of this."  
  
"Finite Incantatem!" he bellowed in the general direction of his roommates.  
  
"Wh-Harry? Where – who – the – we need to get to class!"  
  
"Planning period," he said, quite pleasantly. "If you'll excuse me, I have some work to make up."  
  
"All right," said Seamus agreeably. "Mind you're not late for Snape, though, stupid bugger'll punish us all for it."  
  
He ran.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
"Professor?"  
  
"Harry…let's get started," he said, glancing up from the haphazard heap of papers in front of him. He raised his wand and waved them aside.  
  
"Professor – Neville, Seamus, Dean – Imperius Curse."  
  
"For how long?"  
  
"I don't know."  
  
"Did you take it off?"  
  
"I think so."  
  
"Go to Albus' office. Tell him I'm waiting for him and that I have the map."  
  
He nodded.  
  
"And Harry? Stay there."  
  
"But-"  
  
"Stay," he repeated. Harry scowled, but sprinted to the Headmaster's office.  
  
"I remain of the opinion that it is not wise to have selected Black for this particular mission..."  
  
It was Snape. With much trepidation, he knocked.  
  
"Come in, Professor."  
  
"Er…"  
  
"Harry, we're in the middle of a meeting. Kindly…" He stopped upon seeing the urgent look on his face.  
  
"Professor Lupin needs you in his office."  
  
Dumbledore nodded. "Stay. You too, Severus. Tell Minerva that we will reschedule this if need be."  
  
Feeling incredibly helpless, Harry sank into the chair farthest from Snape's. They avoided looking at or talking to each other. Finally, Snape broke the silence. "I'm sorry about yesterday."  
  
Snape, apologizing? To him? "I told Sirius…"  
  
"That's good," he said, trying in vain to feign disinterest.  
  
"I…" Snape was looking at him with intense interest, almost…concern? "I feel better."  
  
"Black cares for you very much…pity he won't be coming back. Yes, that's right, Potter…the Dark Lord has no intention of letting your precious godfather go once he's captured him," he sneered, the malicious grin on his face proof that his determination to torment Harry hadn't changed at all. "You have no idea what sort of torture his prisoners endure…it is a fate far worse than Dementor's Kiss, much less Azkaban."  
  
His breath hitched. He really didn't need to hear about this. He was about to say as much, but Snape had already started talking again.  
  
"He flings every insult he can at you…while beating you…after a while, you can't help wondering if it's true. Pain is an art, at his hands. He enjoys making you squirm, and beg for mercy. If you're lucky enough, he'll even humiliate you by turning you into a sex toy…you'll be his whore until he kills you…he can't wait to have a go with you, Potter."  
  
"Stop," he said softly. "Please, stop."  
  
"You'll hate it. You'll want out. You'll scream, and you'll beg, just like the rest…he'll make you cry…"  
  
"Professor, please."  
  
"Am I upsetting you?"  
  
"Professor…"  
  
"You deserve to be upset, Harry…you should never have gotten any stability…"  
  
"Why are you doing this?" he asked desperately.  
  
The pain and desperation in the boy's gaze touched something in him that hadn't been touched in a very long time.  
  
"I'm sorry," he stammered. He reached out and placed a cold hand on Harry's cheek, turning the boy's head to face him. They looked at each other for a moment, Snape studying every detail of his face from the pronounced cheekbones to the slightly ski-jumped nose to the defiant chin. (AN: Heh, ripping off Mizery here. Shh…) He allowed his fingers to trail down his cheek and brush over his lips. Replacing his hand in its initial position, he allowed himself to lean down and capture the younger man's mouth in a light, undemanding kiss. To his surprise, Harry had not moved in the least, but squeezed his eyes shut, as if it was a bad dream that would pass.  
  
Oh, fuck. I'm KISSING him. Christ, I'm KISSING him. I'm kissing James Potter's son. KISSING him! This is impossible. Fuck! I can't be kissing him…Albus will kill me…and Potter…fuck. As he realized what he was doing, he drew back as suddenly as he had moved in. "I shouldn't have done that," he muttered.  
  
"No…no, I don't think so either…"  
  
"What was I thinking? He's…he's fifteen, and I'm…well, it doesn't matter how old I am, the point is…I'm a professor…and he's my student…my God, I have no fucking control!" He was shouting.  
  
"Why?"  
  
"I…I don't know. I'm sorry." His eyes were wider than Harry's now. "I think I should probably go…"  
  
Harry nodded slowly. "That might be best."  
  
"I don't have feelings for you," he said coldly, a sharp contrast to the Snape of a less than a minute before.  
  
Mutely, Harry nodded again. Why should this be any different? His uncle didn't have feelings for him, or he wouldn't have hit him…Snape…Snape couldn't have feelings for him, he couldn't…no one did…no one loved him, cared about him…he was a Messiah to Dumbledore, a weapon to Voldemort, and…Sirius? Sirius had never bothered to tell him if he loved him or not. And he didn't expect he did…no one did, no one ever had, or would…  
  
He sat, for how long, he didn't know. And no one came. No one ever did.  
  
***  
  
Ahhh…I couldn't resist! So, did you like it, hate it? Tell me in a review, or drop me an email (magentamuppet@yahoo.com.) I'd love to hear from you! Please note that this story was originally posted & uploaded under a different penname. Due to some…er…inappropriate themes, undertones, and the fact that my parents and friends knew my penname, I think it's quite self-explanatory why I have chosen to associate with this one for this fanfiction and the rest of my (upcoming and somewhat dark) Harry Potter stories. Please don't flame me telling me how I ripped off someone else's story…chances are it was my own. My original poetry, however, can still be found at my old alias, if you know it, and if you're really interested, email me about that as well. Or anything…I do love to talk. One more thing. There are 2 stories archived on ff.n, one by a person with the penname Holli, and one called Devils Snare, both of which have elements similar to my fic or elements similar to those that I intend to feature…I'm not borrowing from any of those either; in fact, I had the ideas long before I read those pieces, although they are recommended if you've run out of fanfic, but do read Devils Snare…it could use some polishing, but the ideas are there…  
  
(Skip text below here, if you like, just general shoutouts, nonsense, thank- yous, and logohorreic redundancy…nothing of interest, I just felt like writing it.)  
  
  
  
And, I must remember to thank my betas, because I always seem to forget, although in this case I don't think I've sent it to either, although I did send the IM to Pleiades. If anyone finds errors, email me…This is just a teaser, really, and to let you all know that I'm moving.  
  
Pleiades is my darling doll wild lesbian monkey and I love her to pieces! She's a better writer than I can ever hope to be, so GO READ HER STORIES, DAMMIT!!! And we have matching Walkmen, so that means she's triply cool!  
  
And Rufus is my darling doll Britty football buddy! She looks lovely in blue dresses. =) Her stories are recommended, too! Dunno about giving you my addy, though, my parents might not approve! I'm not to be on Net this weekend (like they're going to stop me, they're off in Pennsylvania!), so I'll have to come in on Tuesday or something and mention to my dad that my buddy in Bradford (he's always asking about you…'how's your friend in Bradford doing?' etc. etc., lol) wants to be penpals, as in actual letters as opposed to email…I'll see what he thinks about that, eh?  
  
And just a general shoutout to Rilar Cray if she's out there reading because she wrote me the nicest review I've ever gotten…'you sure put a smile on my face!' as says the Proud Family's Sugar Momma. (I love that show!)  
  
And extra schnoogles to Rachel and Chris and Anne/Ella because I love you too. Remember, sweets, I'll be in Connecticut soon! (Yeah, right…) Rachel, if you could send me back that letter I sent you about Christmas, as I think Rufus and Pleiades didn't get it, that would be really cool, too.  
  
And just so everyone knows, I saw LOTR last night. Fucking fantastic, wow. Parents were out of town, they'd said I couldn't see it for another two weeks ('excessively dark, need to see your consistent good behaviour' *pouts*) so I got my uncle to take me. Am totally enthralled, going to be a good little girl so I can go see it again, and be good actress so they'll think I haven't seen it. Ooh, I can't wait to see Spiderman! That looks like soooooo much fun. I love the cartoon *blushes* and I want the boxers that Cameron Diaz had in Charlie's Angels, but I can't seem to find them. Yes, I could fit into them, if I had them…come on, I'm 5'2", people…we could fit into children's underwear…(And can anyone tell me how Alliyah's in Queen of the Damned if she died in the plane crash? It was Alliyah that died in a plane crash, right? I don't particularly care for her music, but I think it's always a tragedy when someone so young dies…*sigh* And look how well she was doing, too. Oh well. If anyone can clarify that, t'would be great.)  
  
And if anyone cares, Christmas was great. No alcohol or condoms at New Years party, though…damn! =) 


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